Caitlin Clark might very well be the WNBA Rookie of the Year when the 2024 season is said and done. But it’s fair to say her first few weeks as a professional have been challenging at times.
As Clark’s name circulates in cultural debates she didn’t ask to be a part of, the Fever guard also has faced serious physicality on the court and battled occasional turnover and efficiency troubles.
Yet when asked about her “Welcome to the WNBA” moment, one memory stood out for Clark: a ruptured eardrum she sustained against the Liberty on June 2.
Clark isn’t alone in experiencing growing pains — literal and figurative — in her first month as a professional. Fellow rookie Angel Reese also has struggled with efficiency as well, while first-year bigs Cameron Brink and Kamilla Cardoso have been beset by injuries.
The learning curve is a normal part of the rookie experience, and that’s one reason Clark can joke about some of the difficulties she’s faced so far. When asked about her propensity for running into screens (and taking hard hits as a result), the 22-year-old offered up an unexpected explanation: She couldn’t hear them coming.
Clark told reporters Friday that she suffered a ruptured eardrum on a screen during the Fever’s 104-68 loss to the Liberty on June 2.
