Caitlin Clark says spotlight is emotionally exhausting as Fever heat up
Caitlin Clark told ESPN the non-basketball noise is draining, while CBS Sports reports the Fever are surging into a title chase.
By Deshawn Carter · Sports Writer
3 min read
Caitlin Clark called the attention around her “emotionally exhausting” in an ESPN interview that aired Friday, saying she wants the talk around her to return to basketball as the Indiana Fever try to turn a hot stretch into a title run.
The comments landed during WNBA All-Star weekend in Chicago, where CBS Sports reported Clark spent nearly half an hour at a Friday media session and stayed busy through the weekend with reporters, fans, sponsors and other public appearances.
According to CBS Sports, Clark joked during the long media scrum that she might not be able to talk for the rest of the day. The weekend also included interactions with former President Barack Obama and appearances around the broader All-Star scene.
What did Caitlin Clark say about the attention?
In the ESPN interview, Clark said leaving the locker room can bring worry about where the conversation will go. “When I walk out of the locker room, I shouldn't be fearful of what the conversation is gonna be,” she told ESPN.
Clark said the outside noise is draining because, in her view, people often want to focus on issues away from the court. She added that she understands media members have work to do, but said they should not make claims about her character without knowing her.
She also told ESPN that her love of playing has not been taken from her. Clark said competing between the lines remains the fun part, and that her goal is to win championships with Indiana.
Why the Fever’s basketball case is getting louder
CBS Sports reported that the Fever entered 2026 with championship expectations after coming within five minutes of the Finals in 2025 while Clark was unavailable. The first half of this season, according to the report, included injuries, bad losses and drama on and off the floor.
Indiana has since sharpened up. CBS Sports reported the Fever were 7-2 over their last nine games entering the break, with two wins over the Las Vegas Aces and one over the New York Liberty, the reigning champions and preseason title favorites.
The Fever went into the All-Star break on a three-game winning streak, sitting fifth at 17-10, according to CBS Sports.
- CBS Sports reported Indiana’s 114.2 offensive rating ranked first in the WNBA.
- The report said that mark would be the best in league history if maintained for the full season.
- Indiana’s net rating was second at plus-7.2, according to CBS Sports.
- Kelsey Mitchell was averaging 23.3 points, second in the league, while Clark was at 21, fourth.
- Aliyah Boston was averaging 17.3 points, giving Indiana three of the league’s top 12 scorers, per CBS Sports.
Mitchell told reporters Saturday that she, Clark and Boston have now had their longest stretch playing together since 2024. She said she hopes the team has reached the point where chemistry is no longer the topic and the group can raise its level.
Clark also praised Mitchell and Boston during Saturday’s All-Star Game, saying the trio has been finding its rhythm after limited time together. CBS Sports reported the three played only 13 games together last season because of Clark’s injury issues, but had already reached 20 games together this season, or 21 including the All-Star Game.
The basketball question for Indiana is now clear: whether its defense can match an offense that is already producing at an elite level. For Clark and the Fever, that is the conversation they are trying to make the main event.
This story draws on original reporting from CBS Sports.