Caitlin Clark Talks 'Difficult' Start to WNBA Career, Staying Off Social Media

Going straight from being the biggest star in college basketball to arguably the biggest star in the WNBA is an adjustment that Caitlin Clark is still getting used to.

Speaking to reporters after the Indiana Fever's victory over the Los Angeles Sparks on Friday night, Clark explained how "difficult" it has been for her to navigate everything in her life and said getting off social media has been "the healthiest thing" she's done.

The compressed schedule between the end of Iowa's season and the start of the WNBA season didn't leave Clark much time to catch her breath.

The Hawkeyes, who played 39 games last season, lost in the national title game on April 7. Clark was selected with the No. 1 pick by the Fever in the WNBA draft eight days later.

Despite entering the WNBA with as much hype as any player has, Clark is still a rookie adapting to the new level of competition. She is off to a slow start, shooting just 38.3 percent from the field with nearly as many turnovers (5.2) as assists (6.2) per game in six starts.

Not surprisingly, that has led to overreactions from people who wanted Clark to be an MVP candidate right out of the gate.

In some ways, the Fever's schedule didn't do Clark any favors. They played the Connecticut Sun and New York Liberty twice each for their first four games. Those teams combined to go 59-21 last season, were top three in defensive rating, and squared off in the semifinals of the postseason.

Indiana is a young, rebuilding team still trying to establish its identity. Clark will almost certainly get better as she acclimates to the competition.