"Don't know how they're going to react"- Caitlin Clark makes feelings clear on one aspect of leading Aliyah Boston and Fever 

Caitlin Clark had an exceptional WNBA rookie season, shattering several records and leading the Indiana Fever back to the playoffs. Her success is well documented, but the struggle and work that went in was rarely spoken of by the reigning Rookie of the Year.

Coming into the league, Clark's success at the college level was renowned. However, even a player with her reputation had to deal with the jitters of being a rookie in a WNBA locker room.

During the latest episode of Jason Kelce and Travis Kelce's podcast, "New Heights," which premiered Thursday, Clark made her feelings known on one aspect of leading Aliyah Boston and Co.

"You come in as a rookie. ... You're trying to figure out a new environment, new teammates," Clark said. "You don't want to say too much, you don't want to say too little and it's just so hard. ... You're already highly thought of. People are turning to you to be something or be someone.

Clark reiterated the uncertainty of how everyone would react to her or the message she tried to convey.

"I don't know what to say, I don't know how they're going to react."

Caitlin Clark dealt with immense pressure and criticism early on, but she adjusted eventually, developing a close bond with all her teammates. It was evident by how the Fever's season played out. The team started the season 1-8 before finishing the year on a 20-10 run to go 20-20.

Clark's budding chemistry with teammates Aliyah Boston, Kelsey Mitchell and Lexie Hull was key. It also allowed the former Iowa prospect to play more freely as she did in college and control games herself.

Caitlin Clark, Aliyah Boston and Fever could be huge under new HC Stephanie White

The Indiana Fever are wasting no time in ensuring they maximize their young star duo, Caitlin Clark and Aliyah Boston's potential. Their first move a month after a first-round exit in the playoffs was to fire coach Christie Sides. They re-hired coach Stephanie White eight years after she left the team for the Vanderbilt job.

White was one of the top coaching prospects after she parted ways with the Connecticut Sun, the team that swept Clark and Co. in the playoffs. Many believe White's pedigree as a well-rounded and hard-nosed coach makes her the ideal candidate to lead an offense with Clark as the engine.

White is also one of the best defensive coaches, an area where Indiana struggled heavily last year. The hype around her hiring has raised expectations from Caitlin Clark and Aliyah Boston's Fever team, which showed flashes of its ceiling in 2024.