Caitlin Clark has received strong backing from Indiana Fever head coach Stephanie White, who praised the 24-year-old’s maturity in dealing with the constant criticism surrounding her.
Clark remains one of the WNBA’s most polarising figures, but White believes she has handled the attention with remarkable grace.
The comments come before the Fever’s clash with the Connecticut Sun, with Clark once again under plenty of scrutiny.
White has seen first-hand how much noise surrounds her star guard, and she believes Clark has learned to separate outside opinions from what actually happens within the team.
Stephanie White explains why Caitlin Clark handles criticism so well
‘She’s very mature,’ White told reporters on Friday. ‘She understands that the noise is just that. She understands that perception is not reality. And she trusts her work. She trusts her teammates.’
White also pointed to Clark’s ability to understand what is happening inside the Fever rather than allowing outside narratives to dictate her mindset.
‘Ultimately, she and our team are the only ones who know the day-to-day, the only ones who know what’s real and what’s not,’ White added.
Clark has certainly had plenty to deal with this season.
A controversial USA Today opinion piece in July drew widespread criticism after linking Clark’s on-court reactions to a ‘white nationalist faction’ of her fanbase and racial violence in American history.
The publication also incorrectly reported that Clark had missed the WNBA All-Star Orange Carpet to get her hair done. She had actually been attending an event hosted by her Caitlin Clark Foundation, with a correction eventually issued.
Clark has also had to address speculation surrounding her relationship with White after a courtside exchange with her coach during the Fever’s June game against the Portland Fire.
She made it clear that there was no rift between the pair, shutting down claims that she was uncoachable.
Perhaps the clearest example of Clark’s approach came after Alyssa Thomas was handed a Flagrant 2 foul for pressing her fist into Clark’s neck. Despite subsequently receiving vile online death threats, Thomas was publicly defended by Clark, who condemned the harassment.
Clark then spent around two weeks sidelined with an injury following the incident, without receiving a public apology from the player, coach or organisation involved.
That makes White’s comments particularly telling. Clark has faced the noise throughout her career, and her coach believes she continues to handle it in a way that belies her age.
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