$200,000 Sun star gives major endorsement to Caitlin Clark's ex-teammate Katie Lou Samuelson after unexpected split

Connecticut Sun guard Natasha Cloud heaped high praise on Caitlin Clark's ex-teammate Katie Lou Samuelson. After one season with the Indiana Fever, Samuelson and the team agreed to part ways. Indiana revamped its roster this offseason, adding several pieces that made them championship contenders.

Cloud, who was traded from the Phoenix Mercury to the Sun this offseason after signing a two-year, $400,000 deal in 2024, took to X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday to hail the veteran forward and the possibilities she brings to the table.

"Any team that gets Lou is getting a steal. 👻" she tweeted.

Coming out of UConn, Katie Lou Samuelson has played 138 career games between the Chicago Sky, Dallas Wings, Seattle Storm, LA Sparks, and Indiana Fever. During her lone season at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, she played 37 games (15 started), averaging 20.1 minutes, 5.9 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 1.4 assists per game, shooting 38.9% from the field and 33.6% from deep.

The Fever added forwards Natasha Howard, DeWanna Bonner, and Brianna Turner, making it difficult for Samuelson to play as many minutes as she would have liked. As such, Indiana is in win mode after a 20-20 season and a first-round exit. At the same Caitlin Clark has also shown off her skills as a rookie, and is expected to take her game to new heights in her second season for the Fever.

Stephanie White cites key area of improvement for Caitlin Clark after rookie season

With Christie Sides gone, Stephanie White took over as the Indiana Fever head coach. The former Connecticut Sun coach has big plans for this team, especially for Caitlin Clark, the franchise's cornerstone.

During an interview with The Athletic, White noted that Clark has things to polish in her game, especially now that she has experience playing at the highest level and knows what type of opponents she's facing.

"She is stronger, first and foremost. She’s got a lot of self-awareness," White said. "She figured out right away that I need to get stronger, I can’t get knocked around as much. She’s done a great job of getting in the weight room and focusing on her strength."

White wants to focus on Caitlin Clark's efficiency as a shooter and playmaker.

"I think the next step is efficiency. Not so many turnovers, higher field goal percentages."

The Fever should have everything to compete against the top squads in the league. The New York Liberty, Las Vegas Aces, Minnesota Lynx, and the new-look Phoenix Mercury will pose big threats to Clark and Co.