Caitlin Clark’s Indiana Fever continue to prove they can win games in multiple ways. Sitting at a comfortable 4-2 to open the season and riding a three-game winning streak, head coach Stephanie White has the roster clicking.
A lot of the Fever’s early-season success has also been fueled by a healthy version of Clark, who is averaging 23.8 points and 9.0 assists so far.
Amid whispers of Indiana’s championship ambitions, one analyst believes Clark is becoming a victim of her own fame.
Algorithm Favors Caitlin Clark Conspiracies Over Her On-Court Production
Against the Golden State Valkyries on Friday, Clark returned to the court and immediately took control. She dropped 22 points and dished out 9 assists in a hard-fought 90-82 comeback win.
But the internet economy tends to thrive on rage and suspicion.
And according to The Ringer’s Seerat Sohi, “The Indiana Fever star was supposed to save WNBA discourse. Instead, she’s become trapped inside it.”
Clark finds herself in heated conversations, whether she’s on the court or not. Her last-minute omission from the injury report ahead of Wednesday’s game against the Portland Fire was one such incident.
SEE ALSO: Fever Star Caitlin Clark Inches Closer to Legendary 4-Time WNBA Champion’s Record
Indiana had ruled Clark out with a back injury less than two hours before tipoff and rolled to a 90-73 victory over Portland anyway. The Fever received a warning for breaching the protocol, but many started searching for hidden conspiracies.
Factions of fans suggested White intentionally benched Clark to sabotage her confidence, conveniently ignoring the physical toll of Clark’s recent injury history.
The wave of such theories forced the Fever star to issue a clarification surrounding her injury.
“How does one conduct day-to-day league business under this cloud of suspicion? Dare I say that the Caitlin Clark effect is making it hard for Caitlin Clark to operate?” Sohi opined.
“From the moment Clark entered the mainstream consciousness, she has been tied to an enemy of some sort, whether Angel Reese, Diana Taurasi, the refs, or the league itself… Clark playing basketball drives less attention than Clark not playing basketball.”
If she sits on the bench, it launches a million baseless conspiracy theories. The WNBA fandom refuses to accept that an athlete might just need a day to rest.
MORE: Wings Rookie Azzi Fudd Matches Caitlin Clark’s Record With Impressive 24-Point Outburst vs. Liberty
“Clark can be a sinner or a saint. She can be a turnover-spouting disaster or a logo-hurling hero. She can be a victim, a trash-talker, a crybaby, or an unfairly maligned savior,” Sohi said.
“What the algorithm cannot afford is for her to be normal.”
Indiana clearly understands the need to protect its franchise player during a season that could prove to be very, very fruitful. And Clark deserves the runway to rebuild trust in her body and also step on the court without every incident surrounding her becoming a scandal.
