WNBA

Indiana Fever coach Keith Porter shares what surprised him most about Caitlin Clark

Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark isn't in Unrivaled, but she is already training for the upcoming WNBA season. Player Development Coach Keith Porter has shared his first impressions of the Rookie of the Year.

Caitlin Clark of the Indiana Fever  dribbles the ball against the New York Liberty
Ā© Luke Hales/Getty ImagesCaitlin Clark of the Indiana Fever dribbles the ball against the New York Liberty

While the new 3v3 league Unrivaled is underway, Caitlin Clark is already preparing for the start of the WNBA season in May. In a recent interview, new Indiana Fever Player Development Coach, Keith Porter, revealed what surprised him about the 2024 Rookie of the Year.

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Speaking to Rachel DeMita, Porter, who has been working with Clark for the past month, revealed that he was surprised by her maturity. ā€œThe first thing I tell everybody which is super cool about her is being so young but also being so mature,ā€œ he told DeMita, via Irish Star. ā€œIt’s the weirdest thing because [you] almost forget who she is because of how relaxed and reserved she is as a person.ā€

ā€œUntil you go somewhere it’s like ā€˜the entire world wants to see you’, but she’s just a hooper. She’s so down to earth and chill, just an awesome person. She’s a world-class athlete but an even better person I’ve seen in this one month of being with her,ā€ he added.

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Porter is one of the new additions to the Fever coaching team, which will be led by head coach Stephanie White. White has already said that she is hoping to work closely with the 23-year-old guard, who was recently seen beside Taylor Swift at the Kansas City Chiefs’ game against the Houston Texans.

Taylor Swift and Caitlin Clark attend the AFC Divisional Playoff match between the Chiefs vs Texans (Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

Taylor Swift and Caitlin Clark attend the AFC Divisional Playoff match between the Chiefs vs Texans (Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

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Caitlin Clark has high hopes for the upcoming 2025 season

After the Indiana Fever reached the playoffs for the first time since 2016, the franchise will aim higher in 2025, taking advantage of some of the best young talents of the league: Clark and Aliyah Boston. With White, which previously coached the Fever from 2015 to 2016, there are high hopes.

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Clark has recently opened up about her ambitions for the upcoming season, saying that she wants the Fever to become ā€œchampionship contendersā€ this year. ā€œI think we’re putting the pieces together to make that happen—hopefully adding some free agents. You can feel the excitement throughout the organization, the city, and our fans. I can’t wait to get back out there. Honestly, I wish we had a game tomorrow,ā€ she told reporters back in November during The Annika Pro Am.

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Indiana Fever’s moves during the Free Agency

Part of being championship contenders is to build the strongest team possible. The Fever, with Clark and Boston still on their rookie contracts, and only two free agents have the opportunity to do so. They already cored Kelsey Mitchell, one of their key players. While that doesn’t mean she necessarily will stay, it is a step in the right direction.

On the other hand, veteran guard Erica Wheeler hinted at a potential exit, as she will enter free agency as an unrestricted agent. Amber Cox, Fever’s general manager, has said that they have an ā€œoverall planā€ for the offseason, which they expect to see ā€œunfoldā€ during these months.

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