{"id":2236511,"date":"2024-05-03T13:31:02","date_gmt":"2024-05-03T17:31:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/caitlin-clark-likely-to-take-starting-spot-from-veteran-player-who-is-helping-her-transition\/"},"modified":"2024-05-03T13:32:16","modified_gmt":"2024-05-03T17:32:16","slug":"caitlin-clark-likely-to-take-starting-spot-from-veteran-player-who-is-helping-her-transition","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/caitlin-clark-likely-to-take-starting-spot-from-veteran-player-who-is-helping-her-transition\/","title":{"rendered":"Caitlin Clark Poised to Replace Veteran Player with Supportive Mentor"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">20<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fcaitlin-clark-likely-to-take-starting-spot-from-veteran-player-who-is-helping-her-transition%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2236511&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The article discusses the dynamic between WNBA\u200c players Erica\u200d Wheeler \u200band\u2064 Caitlin Clark. Wheeler, a veteran,\u200d graciously welcomes Clark, recognizing the inevitability of her replacing her \u2063as the team&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/mamba-mentality-6-stories-of-kobe-bryants-crazy-work-ethic\/\" title=\"Mamba Mentality: 6 Stories of Kobe Bryant\u2019s Crazy Work Ethic\">point guard<\/a>.\u2062 The mentorship bond between the players is highlighted, \u2063emphasizing support \u2064and camaraderie despite the competitive \u2063sports\u200c environment.\u2064 The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/the-real-ronna-mcdaniel-controversy-why-does-the-former-rnc-chair-want-to-join-corrupt-corporate-media\/\" title=\"What's Behind Former RNC Chair Ronna McDaniel's Interest in Joining Corporate Media?\">piece sheds light<\/a> on their positive \u2064approach to teamwork and growth within the Indiana Fever team.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<header> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/sports\/\">  Sports <\/a>    <span> <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/author\/russdavis\/\">  <\/a> <\/p>\n<p> <span>   By <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/author\/russdavis\/%20\"><span>Jack Davis<\/span><\/a> <\/span> <span>   May 3, 2024 at 7:50am <\/span> <\/span>  <\/header>\n<section>\n<p>It\u2019s a script made for conflict: a veteran player who isn\u2019t quite ready to hang it up hearing the footsteps of a potential superstar that could mean a lot of time on the bench.<\/p>\n<p>But Erica Wheeler and Caitlin Clark say they are not bound by those cliched roles.<\/p>\n<p>Wheeler was the starting point guard for the Indiana Fever last year and knew as the WNBA draft neared that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/wnba-star-calls-fans-sensitive-tearing-apart-caitlin-clark-criticism\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Clark<\/a> was going to be the first pick last month and that her job probably was going to be taken by Clark.<\/p>\n<p>Wheeler, 33, has played in the league for eight years and averaged 9.9 points and 5.0 assists per game last season. She started all 40 of the Fever\u2019s games.<\/p>\n<p>Instead of fighting the inevitable, she rolled out the welcome mat for Clark, who averaged 31.6 points and 8.9 assists a game for the Iowa Hawkeyes last season.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI put it as like, you know, when you go to a different school, the first day of school you don\u2019t know anybody,\u201d Wheeler, who is in the final year of her contract, said, according to the <a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2024\/05\/02\/sports\/indiana-fever-vet-helping-caitlin-clark-despite-potentially-losing-starting-role-to-her\/?utm_medium=social&#038;utm_source=twitter&#038;utm_campaign=nypost\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">New York Post.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u201cThen, you find that one person that says hi to you, and they become your best friend. For me, I just wanted to get ahead of it because I know this transition is tough.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Wheeler said she embraces the role of Clark\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/watch-jason-whitlock-fire-racial-comments-white-girl-caitlin-clark\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">mentor<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s how I was raised; I don\u2019t have no hate in my heart. I want everybody around me to win. Whether you are winning or not, I still want to push you to be great,\u201d Wheeler said.<\/p>\n<div id=\"firefly-poll-container\">\n<p>Do you like Caitlin Clark?<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\u201cSo for me, I just thought, like, if I get ahead of it, I\u2019m just making it comfortable right away. It\u2019s just an easy, smooth transition. For me, I actually love it because I like being a big sister. I like helping first. I don\u2019t really like getting help. So, it\u2019s refreshing for me to be able to help her and be her big sister.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Clark, 22, said the help is appreciated, noting that Wheeler \u201csimply wants the best for people, no matter what.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cPeople can say that, but she really lives it, every day, and you can tell that she\u2019s going to push me, hold me accountable, she\u2019s going to find ways to help me learn, but at the same time, she\u2019s going to have my back every single day, and that\u2019s something I\u2019m really grateful for coming into this league, having a vet that really wants the best for you is special,\u201d Clark said.<\/p>\n<p>Indiana coach Christie Sides has been tinkering with lineups in practice and said that being flexible with Wheeler helps the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/watch-lebron-coldly-answers-no-whether-confident-team-season-ending-loss\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">team<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAll she wants to do is do whatever this team needs, whatever she needs to do for us to be successful,\u201d Sides said, according to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.indystar.com\/story\/sports\/basketball\/wnba\/fever\/2024\/04\/29\/caitlin-clark-can-lean-on-indiana-fever-vet-erica-wheeler-as-big-sister\/73504135007\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Indianapolis Star<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAnd I can ask her for anything. If I\u2019m gonna tell her she\u2019s gonna come off the bench, she\u2019s gonna come off the bench. If I tell her I need her to do this, she\u2019s going to do that. I mean, that\u2019s just who she is \u2026 her voice and her leadership, it just means so much to our entire team.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Clark knows she faces pressure. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/caitlin-clark-lands-historic-nike-shoe-deal-worth-millions-just-rookie-season-kicks-off\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Indiana<\/a> has not had a winning season since 2015, most <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/big-tech-to-ban-parler-over-lack-of-content-moderation\/\" title=\"Big tech to ban Parler over lack of content moderation\">recently made<\/a> the playoffs in 2016, and has won only 30 games over the past four seasons.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNo matter what happens, there\u2019s going to be expectations and pressure on my shoulders and pressure on this team to be really good,\u201d Clark said, per <a href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/wnba\/story\/_\/id\/40045150\/caitlin-clark-focus-back-basketball-fever-camp-opens\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">ESPN<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat\u2019s how you want it. We wouldn\u2019t want anything else. We want people showing up to our games, people expecting us to win a lot of basketball games this year, and I\u2019m expecting myself to play really well. I don\u2019t think it\u2019s anything that\u2019s ever been different for me.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Indiana will open the regular season May 14 at the Connecticut Sun.<\/p>\n<p>___________________________________________<\/p>\n<div>\n<p><b data-stringify-type=\"bold\"><i data-stringify-type=\"italic\">A Note from Our Deputy Managing Editor:<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n<p><i data-stringify-type=\"italic\">\u201cWe don\u2019t even know if an election will be held in 2024.\u201d Those 12 words have been stuck in my head since I first read them.<\/i><\/p>\n<p><i data-stringify-type=\"italic\">Former Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn recently made that comment to Floyd Brown, founder of The Western Journal.<\/i><\/p>\n<p><i data-stringify-type=\"italic\">And if the leftists and the elites get their way, that\u2019s exactly what will happen \u2014 no real election, no real choice for the Electoral College, and no real say for the American people.<\/i><\/p>\n<p><i data-stringify-type=\"italic\">The Western Journal is fighting to keep that from happening, but we can\u2019t do it alone.<\/i><\/p>\n<p><i data-stringify-type=\"italic\">We work tirelessly to expose the lying leftist media and the corrupt America-hating elites.<\/i><\/p>\n<p><i data-stringify-type=\"italic\">But Big Tech\u2019s stranglehold is now so tight that <\/i><i data-stringify-type=\"italic\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.paypal.com\/donate\/?hosted_button_id=BM6XAWRJ8NS7A&#038;utm_source=site&#038;utm_medium=westernjournalism&#038;utm_campaign=authorpitch\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" data-stringify-link=\"https:\/\/www.paypal.com\/donate\/?hosted_button_id=BM6XAWRJ8NS7A&#038;utm_source=site&#038;utm_medium=westernjournalism&#038;utm_campaign=authorpitch\" data-sk=\"tooltip_parent\">without help<\/a><\/i><i data-stringify-type=\"italic\"> from you, we will not be able to continue the fight.<\/i><\/p>\n<p><i data-stringify-type=\"italic\">The 2024 election is literally the most important election for every living American. We have to unite and fight for our country, otherwise we will lose it. And if we lose the America we love in 2024, we\u2019ll lose it for good. Can we <\/i><i data-stringify-type=\"italic\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.paypal.com\/donate\/?hosted_button_id=BM6XAWRJ8NS7A&#038;utm_source=site&#038;utm_medium=westernjournalism&#038;utm_campaign=authorpitch\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" data-stringify-link=\"https:\/\/www.paypal.com\/donate\/?hosted_button_id=BM6XAWRJ8NS7A&#038;utm_source=site&#038;utm_medium=westernjournalism&#038;utm_campaign=authorpitch\" data-sk=\"tooltip_parent\">count on you<\/a><\/i><i data-stringify-type=\"italic\"> to help?<\/i><\/p>\n<p><i data-stringify-type=\"italic\">With you we will be able to field journalists, do more investigative work, expose more corruption, and get desperately needed truth to millions of Americans.<\/i><\/p>\n<p><i data-stringify-type=\"italic\">We can do this only with your help. Please don\u2019t wait one minute.<\/i><i data-stringify-type=\"italic\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.paypal.com\/donate\/?hosted_button_id=BM6XAWRJ8NS7A&#038;utm_source=site&#038;utm_medium=westernjournalism&#038;utm_campaign=authorpitch\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" data-stringify-link=\"https:\/\/www.paypal.com\/donate\/?hosted_button_id=BM6XAWRJ8NS7A&#038;utm_source=site&#038;utm_medium=westernjournalism&#038;utm_campaign=authorpitch\" data-sk=\"tooltip_parent\"> Donate right now<\/a><\/i><i data-stringify-type=\"italic\">.<\/i><\/p>\n<p><i data-stringify-type=\"italic\">Thank you for reading,<\/i><br \/> <i data-stringify-type=\"italic\">Josh Manning<\/i><br \/> <i data-stringify-type=\"italic\">Deputy Managing Editor<\/i><\/p>\n<p><i data-stringify-type=\"italic\">P.S. Please <\/i><i data-stringify-type=\"italic\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.paypal.com\/donate\/?hosted_button_id=BM6XAWRJ8NS7A&#038;utm_source=site&#038;utm_medium=westernjournalism&#038;utm_campaign=authorpitch\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" data-stringify-link=\"https:\/\/www.paypal.com\/donate\/?hosted_button_id=BM6XAWRJ8NS7A&#038;utm_source=site&#038;utm_medium=westernjournalism&#038;utm_campaign=authorpitch\" data-sk=\"tooltip_parent\">stand with us<\/a><\/i><i data-stringify-type=\"italic\"> today.<\/i><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div id=\"author-info-44685\">\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/author\/russdavis\/\">  <\/a> <\/p>\n<div>\n<p><label for=\"summary-tab-radio-44685\">Summary<\/label><label for=\"more-info-tab-radio-44685\">More<span> Biographical Information<\/span><\/label><label for=\"posts-tab-radio-44685\">Recent<span> Posts<\/span><\/label><label for=\"contact-tab-radio-44685\" onclick=\"if( typeof grecaptcha=='undefined' ) { let cap_s=document.createElement( 'script' ); cap_s.src='https:\/\/www.google.com\/recaptcha\/api.js?render=6LeJFcsUAAAAAPsIEqvB1EebWbZfqRUe6ebMpGy7'; document.body.appendChild( cap_s ); }\">Contact<\/label><\/p>\n<div>\n<p>Jack Davis is a freelance writer who joined The Western Journal in July 2015 and chronicled the campaign that saw President Donald Trump elected. Since then, he has written extensively for The Western Journal on the Trump administration as well as foreign policy and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/u-s-military-issues-dire-warning-about-chinas-rapid-military-nuclear-weapons-buildup\/\" title=\"U.S. Military Issues Dire Warning About China\u2019s Rapid Military, Nuclear Weapons Buildup\">military issues<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div>\n<p>  Jack Davis is a freelance writer who joined The Western Journal in July 2015 and chronicled the campaign that saw President Donald Trump elected. Since then, he has written extensively for The Western Journal on the Trump administration as well as foreign policy and military issues. <br \/> Jack can be reached at jackwritings1@gmail.com. <\/p>\n<p>  Location <\/p>\n<p>  New York City <\/p>\n<p>  Languages Spoken <\/p>\n<p>  English <\/p>\n<p>  Topics of Expertise <\/p>\n<p>  Politics, Foreign Policy, Military &#038; Defense Issues <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In a sports drama unfolding on May 3, 2024, the clash between a seasoned player and an emerging superstar intensifies. Erica Wheeler and Caitlin Clark defy the script, refusing to be constrained by expectations, amidst the looming competition for playing time<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":661,"featured_media":2236512,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Untitled-design-33.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[548],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2236511","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-conservative-news-daily"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Untitled-design-33.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2236511","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/661"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2236511"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2236511\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2236512"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2236511"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2236511"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2236511"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}