Caitlin Clark has fully embraced being Indianapolis's biggest sports star since being drafted by the Fever last year.
She's grown a friendship with Indiana Pacers' Tyrese Haliburton in a short time, and the two basketball stars quickly became the faces of Indiana sports. Clark thinks they'll remain in Indiana for as long as the teams will have them, which she hopes is for her entire WNBA career.
"Ty and I would both tell you this is where we both hope to stay the rest of our careers," Clark said in an interview with ESPN's Ramona Shelburne. "People are like, 'It's a small market.' But no, that's what makes it fun. These people, this is what means the world to them. We haven't hosted a Finals game in 25 years, and I've never seen this type of excitement. People are lining up three hours before the game. I literally just got the chills thinking about it.
"And they're the same for the Fever. I think it's just like [Pacers coach] Rick [Carlisle] said, 'In 49 other states it's basketball, but here it's just really different.' I'm really fortunate to be able to play here and he's the same."
Clark referenced the Pacers' NBA playoffs run in her response, which she's been attending front and center whenever Gainbridge Fieldhouse hosts. She's been able to experience how passionate and loyal the Indiana fanbases are, and as a result she wants to have a long career with the Fever.
It's often a professional athlete's hope to remain with a franchise for the duration of their career. However, that's becoming more and more rare in sports nowadays as finances cause players to be traded or request to be sent elsewhere. Clark's only in her second WNBA season, so who's to say that she won't land with another team at some point in her career? But, it's worth noting that the reigning WNBA Rookie of the Year would prefer to remain with the Fever if she had her say right now.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Caitlin Clark Gives Honest Take On Potentially Being With Fever for Entire Career.
