"Thanks for having Caitlin's back" - Fever fans emotional as Caitlin Clark's first vet officially departs 

Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever continue to make changes to their roster in the offseason, with Erica Wheeler becoming the latest player that the organization parts ways with.

For her contributions over the past two years, Indiana fans are expressing their gratitude to the veteran guard, particularly for her mentorship of Caitlin Clark.

Fans exploded with reactions after the Fever confirmed the news. The franchise’s “thank you” post was flooded with comments, with users expressing gratitude, saying how much they would miss her and wishing her success for her upcoming stint in Seattle.

“Good luck with the Storm,” a user wrote.

“Thank you Erica Wheeler. Go ball out in Seattle!” @FroemelAndy wrote.

“I will miss Erica,” @vonderplatz wrote.

“Will always love Erica Wheeler! This one hurt the most!” @incogneeeeto wrote.

“Thanks for having Caitlins back Erica; wish nothing but success for you,” @JohnM00re wrote.

“Noooooo! Will miss you but cheering you on regardless,” @crystalynnbb wrote.

During her second tenure with the Fever, Wheeler averaged 6.8 points, 2.2 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game over two seasons. With Caitlin Clark’s arrival in 2024, Wheeler was demoted to a bench role but embraced the change with grace, consistently offering guidance and support to the rookie.

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Erica Wheeler reveals how Caitlin Clark respects her

Erica Wheeler has taken Caitlin Clark under her wing since the rookie entered the WNBA, fulfilling her duty as a strong locker-room presence. One of Wheeler’s most crucial roles was to keep Clark composed in heated moments.

A prime example came during the Fever’s game against the Dallas Wings when Wheeler physically restrained Clark to ensure that she didn't get ejected. Speaking about her role in calming Clark down, Wheeler highlighted the respect the young star has for her guidance.

“I can kind of see when she’s taking it a little further and I’m already standing up and ready to de-escalate it and she allows me to. I think that’s the most important piece that people don’t realize. Imagine if she didn’t allow me to, she’d be even more mad.

“That shows the respect level that she has for me that she’ll listen to me, because there’s moments I’m like, “C! C! C!” and she’ll look at me and she wants to say something else and she just doesn’t. It just shows how much respect she has for me as her vet,” Wheeler said.

Caitlin Clark hasn't yet publicly commented on Wheeler's departure from Indiana. However, given her admiration for the veteran, it's likely that the 2024 Rookie of the Year will acknowledge Wheeler with a social media shoutout.