What's gone right and wrong for Caitlin Clark through 11 games (2024)

Diana Taurasi was right when she said "reality is coming" for Caitlin Clark and the highly touted 2024 rookie class.

Clark's transition to the WNBA was always going to take some time. The No. 1 overall pick's early ups and downs are another reminder of how difficult the jump to the pros can be - even for the NCAA's all-time leading scorer.

With the Indiana Fever finally in the middle of an extended break, it's an appropriate time to assess how Clark's fared a quarter of the way through her debut campaign.

What's gone right?

Multifaceted scorer

Clark isn't scoring as prolifically she did in college, but she's still lighting up the scoreboard at an impressive rate, ranking 18th in the WNBA with a team-high 15.6 points per game. She recently registered back-to-back 20-point games for the first time, which included a historic 30-5-6-3-3 line against the Los Angeles Sparks.

Clark's 3-point shooting continues to be her best weapon. She's averaging 2.5 triples and knocked down 27 threes, trailing only Taurasi. The 22-year-old's unlimited range, ability to create separation on step-backs, and quick release coming off pindown screens continue to make her a handful to cover from beyond the arc.

Clark's sharpshooting opens up driving lanes for her to exploit. She's been willing to put the ball on the floor and attack some of the game's top rim-protectors. While it hasn't always worked out in her favor, her aggressiveness does earn free throws. Clark's 48 attempts at the line rank sixth-most in the league.

In a limited sample, Clark's delivered in crunch time as well, sitting fifth in the WNBA with 15 clutch points on 80% shooting.

Unselfish playmaker

Clark's development into a lethal scorer in college was partly due to her equally elite passing ability. The 6-foot floor general was a dual offensive threat, leading the nation in both points and assists in two of her four seasons at Iowa. Her 1,144 dimes in a Hawkeyes jersey rank third in Division I women's basketball history.

Clark's playmaking skills have carried over to the next level: She ranks fourth in the league with 6.4 assists per contest. She's been more than willing to share the rock, using a variety of ways to get her teammates into the offensive flow.

Clark's bread and butter has been her hit-ahead passes in transition. Whether it's making an outlet pass leading directly to a quick three or finding a rim-running big, she's always looking to push the pace and catch opposing defenses napping:

Clark's been just as clinical distributing the ball in the half court. She's developed chemistry with Aliyah Boston and Temi fa*gbenle, showing great patience and routinely hitting both in stride when orchestrating the pick-and-roll.

Whenever Clark's situated at the top of the 3-point arc, she can thread the needle to cutters and feed post players whenever they have a mismatch down low.

Clark's knack for getting to the free-throw line on drives frequently draws a second defender, allowing her to set up open teammates on the perimeter.

What's gone wrong?

Too many turnovers

Clark's inability to take care of the rock has been problematic. Her 5.4 turnovers per game and 59 total giveaways lead the WNBA by a wide margin. She coughed up the ball 10 times on opening night, setting a league record for a player in her debut appearance.

A combination of factors are contributing to Clark's turnover issues. First and foremost, the pro game is an entirely different animal. She's facing more long, athletic defenders on a regular basis, and is adjusting on the fly to the WNBA's increased speed and physicality.

Connecticut did a great job mixing up its defensive coverages against Clark in her May 14 opener, having tenacious guard DiJonai Carrington stick to her like Velcro and throw in timely traps. The Sun's double-teams were very effective, as they sped up Clark's decision-making and forced errant passes. Clark traveled on one instance as she anticipated the danger of another trap.

The condensed WNBA schedule ahead of this summer's Paris Olympics is also playing a role. Indiana hasn't had many practices to build chemistry with 11 games in 20 days. As a result, the Fever have looked out of sync, with many potential assists from Clark going off her teammates' fingertips or sailing beyond their reach out of bounds.

Further, Indiana's roster isn't accustomed to playing the up-tempo basketball that Clark thrived in at Iowa, nor is the roster currently constructed to maximize her playmaking prowess on the fast break. The Fever played at the second-slowest pace last season and returned eight players from that squad, so preparing to sprint up court alongside Clark after each missed shot and being constantly attentive has been a challenge for the holdovers.

Still, Clark bears responsibility for a fair amount of her turnovers. A lot of the two-time Wooden Award winner's miscues are due to her own decision-making. She has a tendency to attempt difficult passes instead of making the simple play. Clark won't hesitate to attack the defense when the slightest opportunity presents itself, even if that means squeezing a pass into a tight window between two defenders.

That's part of what made Clark appointment viewing in college. ESPN play-by-play commentator Ryan Ruocco called many of Clark's games at Iowa, where she led the NCAA in turnovers on three occasions. While Ruocco is confident Clark's ball security will improve, he doesn't expect her to change the way she operates.

"The freedom that she likes to play with in transition and the chances she likes to take ... She's a daredevil out there when it comes to some of those passes in transition, which can yield buckets and incredible highlights, or sometimes you can get burned with a turnover," Ruocco told theScore on a conference call last week.

Inefficient shooting

Clark is shooting 29.7% from distance and 35.7% overall. She's shot 50% or better in only one game so far, and her efficiency at the rim and in the paint have dropped compared to her senior year at Iowa. She's converted 55.9% of her shots within five feet of the basket and 22.2% of her field goals in the paint, excluding the restricted area.

Six of Clark's first 11 tilts were against the league's top-three defensive teams from a year ago. The Sun, Las Vegas Aces, and New York Liberty collectively held her to 34.8% shooting, each using an WNBA All-Defensive team selection to keep tabs on Clark.

Clark was being met at the rim by A'ja Wilson and can't shake versatile wing defenders like Betnijah Laney-Hamilton as easily as she did in college:

Clark will become more familiar with her opponents over time and learn which matchups are advantageous.

Rookie comparison

Much has been made of Clark's shooting struggles, but her early numbers measure up quite well in comparison to recent top picks, especially at her position.

Here's what the last five guards drafted No. 1 have done through their first 11 WNBA appearances:

*Ionescu played only three games during her rookie year after sustaining a season-ending ankle sprain

All the listed players eventually settled in, despite a wide range of numbers to begin their professional careers.

Howard was an All-Star in each of her first two WNBA campaigns. Ionescu finished runner-up to Young in Most Improved Player voting two years ago. Plum has a top-three MVP finish and a Sixth Player of the Year Award. Loyd has three All-WNBA nods to go along with a scoring title.

Clark is going through natural rookie growing pains. It was unrealistic for her to take the league by storm from Day 1, despite her Iowa accolades. Clark still has much to learn before she can change the Fever's trajectory franchise, but the talent's there. She's already proved that.