WNBA Legend Sue Bird Names Caitlin Clark's Biggest Issue
WNBA Legend Sue Bird Names Caitlin Clark's Biggest Issue originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
Caitlin Clark has missed her last two games due to a lingering groin injury, but her return is expected soon. Fans around the country are eager to see her back on the floor, especially as the Fever look to build momentum this season.
Advertisement
Clark last played on June 24 in Seattle, where the Indiana Fever picked up a 94-86 win. It wasn't her best performance, she scored just six points on 3-of-13 shooting in front of a packed crowd.
WNBA legend Sue Bird, speaking on her podcast 'Bird's Eye View', reflected on watching that game in person and offered her take on Clark's biggest challenge right now.
Bird pointed out that Clark is often tasked with creating her own shot on nearly every possession.
'It'd be really beneficial for her if she had players around her who could create shots for her,' Bird said. 'She has to create a lot of her own shots, but she's also creating for her teammates—that's where Aari McDonald might have some impact.'
Former WNBA star Sue Bird playing for Team USAFront Office Sports/X
Clark is averaging 18.2 points per game in her second WNBA season but is shooting just 39% from the field. Her three-point percentage has dipped to 29.5%, which is well below her college numbers and early pro expectations.
Advertisement
The Fever are hoping that the recent addition of guard Aari McDonald will help ease some of that burden. McDonald had six assists in her second game back with Indiana. At 26, she brings experience, playmaking ability and the speed to create better looks for Clark and others.
Clark continues to be one of the league's top playmakers, averaging 8.9 assists per game. No other Fever player is averaging more than four. Aliyah Boston is next at 3.6 assists per game, followed by McDonald at 3.2.
As Clark gets healthier and McDonald finds her rhythm, Indiana may finally have the supporting backcourt pieces to help Clark maximize her scoring efficiency and get the Fever closer to a postseason push.
Related: Ranking the 25 Best WNBA Players of All Time
Related: WNBA Team Re-Signs Caitlin Clark's Former Teammate After Waiving Another Veteran
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 29, 2025, where it first appeared.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
15 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Would the Commanders be an ideal fit for T.J. Watt if he and Steelers can't reach a deal?
One of the biggest needs over the offseason for the Washington Commanders was finding a true edge rusher. They brought in Javon Kinlaw and Deatrich Wise Jr., and while they are both capable defenders, the Commanders lack a true game-changing edge rusher. You know, someone like T.J. Watt. Watt becomes a free agent in 2026, but he'd like an extension before that, so he has not participated in any offseason workouts to date for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Similar to the Commanders' situation with Terry McLaurin, both the Steelers and Watt want to see a deal done. In the event that doesn't happen, though, Fox Sports named the Commanders a potential landing spot for the veteran linebacker. Pittsburgh Steelers edge T.J. Watt: Washington CommandersAgain, I'm not buying that the Steelers would do this. Watt is an iconic piece of that franchise — and that word carries weight in Pittsburgh. Furthermore, even with Aaron Rodgers at quarterback, the Steelers' hopes of accomplishing anything this season will still rest on their defense. Advertisement Then, the author suggests trading away one of the Commanders' most loyal players: Scary Terry. Why not indulge one delusional fantasy with another? If Washington were to trade Terry McLaurin, they'd be opening some financial wiggle room to add another lucrative player. They could get at least two, if not three, years of play out of Watt before they have to worry about extending Jayden Daniels. They definitely need the pass rush help. Watt would give Dan Quinn a blue chip player, which he doesn't really have right now, on his Commanders' defense. Adding him to a pass rush that currently includes Frankie Luvu, Dorance Armstrong, Deatrich Wise and Clelin Ferrell would upgrade the Washington pass rush from "so-so" to outright dangerous. Sure, maybe it's a mixed message to hinder the offense by trading McLaurin only to add T.J. Watt. But, with all due respect to Scary Terry, I think it's a bit harder to find a DPOY-level edge rusher than an All-Pro caliber receiver in today's NFL. It doesn't just hinder the offense to trade McLaurin, it hinders Jayden Daniels' development, which is far more important than any pass rusher. Adding T.J. Watt will deplete the Commanders' remaining cap space and require additional financial adjustments to make it happen. But let's be real, letting McLaurin go is not an option the Commanders want to take. Besides, everyone knows Watt isn't leaving Pittsburgh, and McLaurin isn't leaving Washington. Most likely. This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Commanders named landing spot for T.J. Watt if Steelers moved him
CNN
20 minutes ago
- CNN
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca critcizes weather delays at Club World Cup and questions US hosting the competition
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca hit out at the Club World Cup organizers and suggested the United States is not a suitable host for the competition after his team's last-16 win over Benfica was disrupted by a two-hour weather delay. 'For me personally, it's not football. It's already seven, eight, nine games that they suspended here. I think it's a joke,' he told reporters after Chelsea's dramatic, extra time 4-1 win on Saturday in Charlotte, North Carolina. 'I can understand that for security reasons, you have to suspend the game. But if you suspend seven or eight games, that means that probably this is not the right place to do this competition.' Six matches have now been suspended in five cities across the US due to adverse weather at this tournament, a year before the country is due to host the men's World Cup. On Saturday, Chelsea's match was suspended in the 85th minute when the Blues were 1-0 up thanks to Reece James' brilliant, long-range free kick midway through the second half. Enormous grey clouds gathered over the Bank of America Stadium as the players trudged off the field, bringing thunderstorms and a risk of lightning which delayed the match for one hour and 53 minutes. When they returned to play the final minutes of the match, Benfica equalized through Ángel Di María's penalty in the 95th minute to force extra time. But, instead of the momentum swinging towards the Portuguese club, Chelsea regrouped and scored three goals in less than 10 minutes to secure a thrilling win and its spot in the quarterfinals. That such a match took more than four hours to play, however, dominated the press conference afterward. 'It's not normal to suspend a game,' Maresca continued. 'In a World Cup how many games have they suspended? Zero, probably. In a European (championship), how many games? Zero. We are here, two weeks, and they already suspend six, seven games. There is some problem, for me personally.' FIFA, soccer's global governing body which organizes the Club World Cup, has not responded to CNN's request for comment. At the time of the delay, FIFA issued a statement saying that it was following 'the established safety protocols.' Maresca was quick to clarify he thought the Club World Cup was 'a fantastic competition,' and that he was 'talking as a manger' who had struggled to keep his players focused during the two-hour delay. 'When you are two hours inside and you're trying to keep them in the game for two hours, they're speaking with the family outside for safety reasons, they're eating something, they're playing, they're laughing. How can you keep them two hours inside focused?'
Yahoo
20 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Auburn target Nolan Wilson to make decision soon
The Auburn Tigers could gain a commitment from a four-star defensive lineman as early as next week. Sam Spiegelman of Rivals reported on Friday that four-star defensive lineman Nolan Wilson could make his announcement of which school he will be attending next week. Wilson is from Picayune, Mississippi where he plays high school football for Picayune Memorial High School. Outside of Auburn he has strong interest from Alabama, Florida, Miami, and Ole Miss. Advertisement Wilson is a prospect for the 2026 recruiting class, and a commitment to the Tigers would bolster Auburn's ranking. The Tigers have dropped over the past few weeks due to players pulling their commitments to go elsewhere. Wilson is the No. 4 player in Mississippi and ranked nationally at No. 99 by 247Sports. He is the No. 15 defensive lineman for the 2026 class as well. Auburn currently ranks No. 78 according to 247Sports with seven commits for 2026. The Tigers currently do not have a defensive lineman committed to the class. Hugh Freeze and staff saw the defensive line as a position of need following the 2024 season. The Tigers signed four players to the 2024 recruiting class and added three more in the transfer portal. They will need to continue to add to that position for future seasons. It will be important for Auburn fans to keep an eye on the commitment of Wilson. Tigers' fans have become concerned about where Auburn is with its recruiting for 2026. Adding Wilson will ease some of the nervousness on the Plains. Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on X (Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Taylor on Twitter @TaylorJones__ This article originally appeared on Auburn Wire: Auburn football recruiting: Nolan Wilson to make decision soon
