Serena Williams hails Caitlin Clark’s 'maturity' in bold comparison to herself for navigating online backlash

Throughout her rookie season, Caitlin Clark dealt with both the highest heights of superstardom as well as the backlash that comes from being hyper-analyzed while in the spotlight. For example, while she sold out arenas, she also faced pressure to speak out against the trolls who latched onto other WNBA players and spread hateful messages online.

In some cases, the criticism Clark faced wasn't necessarily for things she did, but rather things that social media users felt that she should do, such as speaking out against the racism that other players in the league faced.

The way tennis legend Serena Williams sees things, Clark reminds her a lot of herself. When she and her sister, Venus Williams, were first emerging on the WTA scene as budding young stars, the sisters faced their own fair share of criticism and hyper-analysis in addition to racist and sexist attacks.

During an interview with Time for the magazine's "100 Most Influential People" interview, Williams praised Clark for how she handled her rookie year, saying that the Indiana Fever star showed maturity that even she didn't have from a young age:

"She stayed out of it, just muted the noise. She has this maturity that I didn’t have. ... I felt like she was, like me, purposely staying away. I respect that."

Looking at the 2025 WNBA season ahead for Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever

On the heels of a stellar rookie season that saw her come up one vote shy of winning the Rookie of the Year award unanimously, Caitlin Clark seems poised for a big year with the Indiana Fever once the 2025 WNBA season tips off.

After helping lead the team to their first playoff berth since the 2016 season, Clark enters the upcoming WNBA season with a bolstered roster alongside her, and a new coach behind her.

During the offseason, the Fever hired Stephanie White, a former Indiana Fever player and coach, who joins the team after a two-year stint with the Connecticut Sun.

While White has head coached in the WNBA for just four seasons, she notably led the Fever to their 2015 finals appearance.

In addition to having a new coach at the helm, the team will also have added firepower on the roster thanks to a big offseason.

In addition to re-signing Kelsey Mitchell, the team added DeWanna Bonner, Natasha Howard, and Sydney Colson in free agency, while trading for Sophie Cunningham and Jaelyn Brown.

With a unique blend of young talent in Caitlin Clark and Aliyah Boston, experienced veterans in Bonner and Howard, and a coach who knows what it takes to make a deep run in the playoffs, it will be interesting to see how the year ahead plays out for Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever.