What Caitlin Clark and the Fever can learn from the Liberty's WNBA championship

The Indiana Fever took notable strides in 2024, getting some experience in the playoffs, which should be valuable down the road. However, the franchise wants more.

One of the most commonly used phrases in sports is, "it's a copycat league." With that being said, Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever will likely be looking closely at the formula that drove the New York Liberty to success in 2024.

The New York Liberty won their first-ever WNBA title, defeating the Minnesota Lynx in a thrilling five-games Finals series. There are lessons that can be tied back to Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark, and her chances of winning a title with her current team.

Caitlin Clark's turnover struggles as a rookie were heavily discussed, as Sporting News and many others wrote about the records she set in that department. The Liberty were in the middle of the pack in turnovers per game, which helped them retain more offensive possessions. The Liberty were also able to overcome their mistakes, as they averaged the second most points per game in the WNBA, according to the league's website.

The Liberty also feature a loaded team, with stars like Sabrina Ionescu, Breanna Stewart and Jonquel Jones. New York also has a bevy of other strong role players. Somehow, some way, the Fever are going to need to improve their roster in a major way in order to compete with top-heavy teams like the Liberty. It's a tall order.

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With that said, a player's success is always defined by the number of trophies they win and how they lead their team to victory. It will be no different for Clark.

Clark was exceptional in her WNBA rookie year, transcending the sport with her elite play and unworldly shooting ability.

Clark led the Indiana Fever to the playoffs after finishing the season with 20 wins and 20 losses (.500). However, Clark and the Fever were swept in the first round by the Connecticut Sun.

Despite leading the Fever to the playoffs for the first time since 2016, Clark still hasn't been able to lead a team to a college or professional-level championship. Will she ever win one?

Clark struggled to win a championship while playing for Iowa State at college, despite being a trailblazer who broke numerous records in the NCAA.

Clark is the NCAA D1 all-time leading scorer (3,951 points) and has the single-season scoring record (1,234). However, despite her brilliance in leading Iowa to the NCAA Final Four in successive seasons, Clark and Iowa lost to South Carolina in the 2024 National Championship game.

Her college career was very similar to her first season in the WNBA. She became the first rookie to score 100+ three-pointers and broke the single-season assists record, but she couldn't lead her squad to team success when it mattered.

In Indiana, Clark and her teammates Kelsey Mitchell and Aliyah Boston have carried much of the offensive burden, creating a lack of offensive threats on the Fever roster.

According to Fox Sports, Clark, Mitchell, and Boston are the top three players in scoring and assists for the Indiana Fever in the regular season. Mitchell averages 19 points, Clark averages 18, and Boston records 16.5 points per game. The next best was eight points per game.

Clark averaged 8.5 assists (league high), Mitchell averaged four, and Boston averaged three assists. Every team needs a roster full of talent and threats to win a championship, and Clark and Indiana haven't got that in their current line-up.

For Clark to win a championship, it may be imperative that she gives up on chasing her records to create more lethal options on her roster. It didn't work in college, and it won't work in the WNBA.

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NBA GOAT Michael Jordan had to make the same sacrifice to win a championship with the Chicago Bulls. According to Basketball Reference, Jordan went from averaging 37.1 points in 1987 to 31.5 points in 1991, the first season he won a title.

In the regular season, the Indiana Fever ranked second in pace (79.8) and third in offensive rating (106.1), but their terrible defense has let them down.

The Indiana Fever's defensive rating is 109.5, which put them 11th out of 12 teams in the WNBA. Defense wins championships, and Indiana has a lot to improve on.

One fan said that the Indiana Fever has a "Non-existent defense, but when you have an offense like the Fever, you can always win any game."

Clark's incredible offensive ability can only take a team so far. Her team will never win a title without defense and a lack of offensive options.

What do you think? Can Caitlin Clark forget about records and personal accolades to help her team win a championship?

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