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Caitlin Clark battles through illness, nearly posts first-ever triple-double by WNBA rookie

FaceProfileby:Thomas Goldkamp•06/30/24
Caitlin Clark
Jun 2, 2024; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) watches from the bench after getting taken out during a substitution in the first quarter against the New York Liberty at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

On a day when fellow rookie Angel Reese set the WNBA record for most consecutive double-doubles, Caitlin Clark nearly made history of her own… while playing through some sickness.

Clark finished a pivotal 88-82 win over the Phoenix Mercury just one rebound shy of the first-ever triple-double by a rookie in WNBA history. She ended the contest with 15 points, 12 assists and nine rebounds.

Then her coach, Christie Sides, revealed after the game that Caitlin Clark wasn’t feeling well.

“Yeah I think she didn’t feel well throughout the entire game, so she’s with our trainer right now,” Sides said.

Clark was subbed out of the game in the final minute as a defensive adjustment, Sides said, something that took the triple-double off the table at the very end. But at the pace Clark is going, she’s sure to set more records going forward.

She’s already been on an absolutely torrid pace, becoming the fastest player in WBNA history to record 200 points, 75 rebounds and 75 assists.

What she’s doing has caught the eye of veterans around the league, including superstar Diana Taurasi, who was on the losing end of Sunday’s contest against Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever.

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“I mean it’s amazing. What Caitlin’s been able to do in her short career so far has just been nothing short of remarkable,” Taurasi said. “And the one thing that I really love about her is she really loves the game. You can tell she’s put the work in.

“Even throughout her short WNBA career it’s been a lot of pressure, a lot of things thrown at her. She keeps showing up and keeps getting better every single game, so her future is super bright. Being a veteran, being in this league for a long, long time, it’s pretty cool to see that and going into the future.”

Through her first 19 games in the WNBA, Caitlin Clark is averaging 16.2 points, 6.6 assist and 5.5 rebounds per game. She has logged four double-doubles, including three in the past five games.

That she was able to have the kind of outing she did Sunday while playing through illness is remarkable.