Caitlin Clark praises Fever legend for helping her through historic rookie season 

Before Caitlin Clark came into the WNBA picture, Tamika Catchings was the pride of the Indiana Fever. It's only fitting that Catchings, the only prior Fever player to win Most Valuable Player, played an instrumental role in Clark's phenomenal first WNBA season.

In a clip from the Jan. 2 episode of the "New Heights With Jason & Travis Kelce" podcast, co-host Jason Kelce asked Clark about former and current players who offered guidance during her transition to the WNBA. While the reigning WNBA Rookie of the Year admitted that there were many individuals who fit this description, she spoke at length about the first name that came to mind:

"Someone that comes off the top of my head is Tamika Catchings," Clark said. "She's still really big here in the Indianapolis community, and she was one of the first people to text me after I got picked. And [she] still checks in on me."

Clark, who broke Catchings' rookie season scoring record back in September, spoke about the significance of the mentorship coming from the 2011 WNBA MVP.

"Her number's up in the rafters. That's somebody I idolize and look up to. For her to just take two seconds to check in on me and see how I'm doing, that's obviously really special."

Though Catchings no longer comes to the Gainbridge Fieldhouse on a regular basis, Clark still feels her presence in a big way.

"Her championship trophy sits in her locker room. It's right next to my locker room," described Clark. "I'm like, great, the coaches probably placed it there." This prompted Jason Kelce to throw in a playful jab at Clark: "Hey, no pressure!"

As amazing as Clark's record-setting rookie season was, she remains focused on the ultimate goal: bringing home another championship trophy that will sit next to Catchings' prize.

Caitlin Clark draws praise from tennis legend Billie Jean King

Despite no WNBA rings yet on her resume, Clark's extraordinary impact on and off the court has already earned her some lofty compliments — even comparisons with all-time greats from other sports.

In a December 2024 interview with USA TODAY, Clark's former Iowa Hawkeyes head coach Lisa Bluder compared her protege to Billie Jean King, the tennis trailblazer who won 39 Grand Slam titles:

"(Clark) is a person that's really helped athletics, helped women's sports in a way that nobody has helped women's sports, maybe since Billie Jean King," said Bluder.

Notably, BJK herself congratulated Clark right after the Indiana Fever guard won Rookie of the Year in September:

"What a first season! Congratulations to @CaitlinClark22, the 2024 WNBA Rookie of the Year," read BJK's tweet.

All eyes will certainly be on Clark as she takes to the hardcourt again in the 2025 WNBA season.