"This is a soldier's mentality": Jason Whitlock lauds Caitlin Clark's teammate for silencing her critics like a "champion"

Veteran analyst Jason Whitlock praised Indiana Fever guard Erica Wheeler, Caitlin Clark's teammate, for gracefully shutting down her critics on Friday. Wheeler, whose playing time saw a significant drop during the 2024 season compared to 2023, was relegated to a bench role, largely due to the arrival of Clark.

Despite the reduced minutes, Wheeler handled the situation with poise and professionalism, earning praise for her attitude from fans and pundits. The 33-year-old played the role of an energizer and took young players like Caitlin Clark and Aliyah Boston under her wings.

Wheeler penned a graceful note on X (formerly Twitter) and addressed her naysayers after the Fever's season came to a close with a first-round loss to the Connecticut Sun.

"And I’ll say this one last time! If you know any piece of journey to the W you would understand why my I DONT CARE what people think of me, especially a stranger! be forreal! I’ve been told I “WASN’T …” but I am here!," the veteran guard wrote.

Wheeler averaged 26.8 minutes per game in 2023 while in 2024, the veteran guard averaged just 14 minutes per game.

The 33-year-old used some strong words to describe her outlook toward life while also hitting out at people who criticize her.

"I am just always curious if those people lack self esteem or acceptance or idk I just hope their ok mentally cause saying anything negative about me is a waste of time. Because ERICA WHEELER lack nothing! My skin is THICK and I know who I am and what I bring to this world!," she added.

Whitlock was impressed by Wheeler's strong message and lavished praise on the Fever guard for her attitude and commitment toward the team.

"This is a soldier's mentality, a competitor's mentality. She's built to be a champion and a builder. Great teammate. Great attitude. Thank you," said Whitlock.

---

Caitlin Clark's teammate Erica Wheeler on playing the role of a veteran

During the Indiana Fever's exit interview on Friday, Erica Wheeler spoke about playing the role of a veteran around Caitlin Clark and Aliyah Boston.

Wheeler said that she was helping Caitlin Clark even before the season commenced despite knowing that her place might be taken by the former Iowa superstar.

The 33-year-old played 39 games for the Fever in the regular season and averaged 3.6 points on 41.1% from the field, including 28.8% from the 3-point range.

In two playoff games against the Connecticut Sun, Wheeler averaged 1.5 points in 9.4 minutes per game.