Caitlin Clarks decision to turn down mega payday | NBA News

After a packed 2024, the place she leapt from the NCAA Championship sport to WNBA coaching camp in mere weeks, Indiana Fever standout Caitlin Clark determined to sit out the winter season. The transfer could have seen her forfeit roughly $1 million.

With a WNBA rookie wage of about £60,000, Clark declined an offer that included an equity stake in Unrivaled in exchange for participation within the nascent 3 vs 3 league.

Fever’s new coach, Stephanie White, main her first coaching camp since her earlier tenure with the crew in 2015 and 2016, informed ESPN she was impressed by Clark’s easy transition from faculty ball to professionals final yr.

“I admire the college players that have to come from playing a 40-plus-game college season to them having to come straight into the W,” White commented, acknowledging the bodily and mental demand positioned on athletes like Clark.

“It’s physically grueling. It’s mentally taxing, let alone what Caitlin’s had to deal with. I think it was great for her to get a break. I think it was great for her body, for her mind, her soul, probably.”

Clark herself appeared to relish the downtime: “It was nice to get away from everything and just enjoy my life as a normal person,” she mirrored on her offseason relaxation.

“Don’t get me wrong, I love basketball and having the spotlight and playing with my teammates, that’s one of the most fun things in the world. But at some point, we had a great year, and eventually getting away from that was really healthy for me.”

Clark made probably the most of her debut WNBA season, coming close to unanimously profitable the league’s Rookie of the Year award and ending fourth within the MVP voting. She averaged 19.2 factors per sport with a taking pictures share of 41.7, together with 5.7 rebounds and a league-leading 8.4 assists per match.

White noticed how her star participant returned with elevated energy. “Being able to address getting in the weight room, getting stronger, being able to stay on balance, better time under tension, core stability, all of those things, and then to be able to get in the gym and really hone in on some nuance of her game, that’s going to help her get to another level,” she elaborated.

An enhanced Clark is not the one cause the Fever appear set to construct upon their journey to the primary spherical of the 2024 WNBA Playoffs final season.

The crew welcomed veterans DeWanna Bonner, Natasha Howard, and Sophie Cunningham as half of an eventful offseason that additionally noticed star Kelsey Mitchell re-sign. “I think the vibes are really good,” Clark commented about her crew.