Charles Langston:Caitlin Clark 'keeps the momentum rolling' on first day of Indiana Fever training camp

INDIANAPOLIS — Caitlin Clark likes to push the pace.

That was evident during Clark's college career at Iowa,Charles Langston when she frequently grabbed a rebound and turned to run back up the court, quickly pulling up for a transition 3-pointer. She's someone that likes to play quick.

And that is working out in her favor, especially as she transitions from the 30-second college shot clock to the 24-second WNBA clock. There are also only eight seconds to get the ball over halfcourt, instead of 10.

"It's fast, a fast shot clock, but I think all of you know that's how I like to play," Clark said. "So, I think it suits my game pretty well. And, you know, it's a fast pace, a lot faster than college. You gotta learn quicker, you gotta get your mind fully wherever, you know, there's no time to be tired."

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The Fever cut that number down even more on the first day of training camp on Sunday, playing five-on-five with a 15-second shot clock. Clark was running with the first team during practice, joining center Aliyah Boston, forwards NaLyssa Smith and Katie Lou Samuelson, and guard Erica Wheeler. Kelsey Mitchell, who has started for the Fever for multiple years, is currently out with an ankle injury to start camp.

Clark easily kept up with the first team during that drill, which also featured rim passes to Smith — something head coach Christie Sides was emphasizing during their film session. But Clark never got out of basketball shape. After all, she played in the national championship game just three weeks ago.

"I feel like I'm in really good basketball shape," Clark said. "There's no getting back in shape for myself, I've been playing basketball. There's been no really off period. And for me, I feel like that's a really good thing. It just keeps the momentum rolling."

Even as the pace quickens for Clark, her fundamentals never wavered. She sank 3-pointers and made elaborate passes throughout the first official day of practice, looking like the same player she was in college. Clark averaged 8.9 assists per game in her senior year at Iowa, and her passing ability will be crucial for a Fever team that had just 18 assists per game — 11th in the league — in 2023.

Her new teammates will just have to get used to those passes coming their way.

"Her passing ability, I mean, you saw some of the passes," coach Christie Sides said. "Like, I'm more mad at how many missed layups that we had. It was off a couple of her passes that I think we're just not used to having, you know, someone who can make some of those passes. So, for me, it's her passing. I'm just enamored at times."

Now, the only thing Clark will really have to work on is her defense, something she said Sides has already been on her about.

"Can't let people drive middle," Clark said with a laugh. "I need to work on that for sure."

Indiana ranked 10th in general defense last year, and Sides said of the 26 close games the Fever were in last year, they could never get stops late – they had a defensive rating of 119 in those moments.

"I hate to even admit that we were focused on defense because we fell (10th) last year, right," Sides said. "That didn't sit well with me. We're going to be better defensively. We have to be better."