Caitlin Clark, now with Indiana Fever, says she "grew up loving the Minnesota Lynx"
INDIANAPOLIS — Caitlin Clark, the University of Iowa phenom who was drafted No. 1 overall by the WNBA's Indiana Fever, revealed Wednesday she grew up a Minnesota Lynx fan.
"I grew up loving the Minnesota Lynx," Clark said during her introductory press conference with the Fever. "I probably shouldn't say that anymore."
To soften the blow to Fever fans, Clark gave a shoutout to Tamika Catchings, the longtime Indiana forward and Women's Basketball Hall of Famer who was named one of the WNBA's 25 best players ever in 2021.
Clark's reasoning for her Lynx fandom isn't surprising.
"That was obviously the closest WNBA team from where I grew up," she said. "Minneapolis was four hours from my house and obviously they had a dynasty that was obviously really easy to cheer for."
Clark, who grew up in Des Moines, was 9 years old when the Lynx won their first championship in 2011. They won three more over the next six years.
The Lynx played their way out of the Clark sweepstakes last season, earning the No. 7 overall slot — much too low to draft Clark, the surefire top pick. Instead, the Lynx traded back to No. 8 and took Alissa Pili out of Utah.
The Lynx and Fever have actually met in the WNBA Finals twice, with each team earning one trophy. In 2012, the Fever beat the Lynx in four games, while in 2015, the Lynx took the championship in five games.
This season, Minnesota and Indiana are scheduled to play each other three times — in Minneapolis on July 14 and Aug. 24, and in Indianapolis on Sept. 6. Tickets for the first matchup will run fans more than $200.
