Scrutiny That Follows Caitlin Clark Keeps Her Coach on the Hot Seat

Coaching Caitlin Clark is becoming a no-win situation for Christie Sides, whose job security is being questioned as the Indiana Fever is near the halfway point of their WNBA season.Ms. Clark, the No.1 overall draft pick, became the fastest player in WNBA history to reach 300 points, 100 assists, and 100 rebounds in 19 games. Despite that record-setting accomplishment, Ms. Sides said Ms. Clark must do more. The rookie sensation, who attracts sell-out crowds at every stop and continues to draw eyeballs to the WNBA, scored 15 points in the Fever’s last outing, an 89-77 loss to the Seattle Storm, on Thursday.Following the game, Ms. Sides said she expects more from Ms. Clark when they play at the Phoenix Mercury Sunday. Ms. Clark was 4 of 9 from the field, including 3 of 7 from 3-point range against the Storm. It was the Fever’s second straight loss after four consecutive wins.“Caitlin Clark needs to shoot a minimum of 15 shots a game for us,” Ms. Sides said in a post-game press conference. “She’s got to get shots, and we’ve got to do a better job of setting her up, setting some really good screens for her to get her open.”Social media critics emphasized it is Ms. Sides’s job to get Ms. Clark more open shots with one tweet saying, “Then she has to do something about it. She’s the freakin’ coach.”No WNBA coach is under more scrutiny than Ms. Sides, who was named the Fever’s head coach in 2022. She embarked on a coaching career after playing collegiately at Ole Miss and Louisiana Tech where the Lady Techsters reached the Final Four in 1999. She served as an assistant in the WNBA with Chicago, Indiana, and Atlanta.The Fever were 13-27 in her first season as head coach, finishing sixth in the Eastern Conference and missing the playoffs. They earned the first overall pick in the draft and used it to select Ms. Clark, the Iowa product who ended a brilliant collegiate career as the all-time leading scorer in Division 1 basketball men or women.Every game as a professional has drawn the media spotlight, putting Ms. Clark and Ms. Sides under the microscope. Every answer from the coach and player is dissected.When a reporter asked Ms. Clark about advice given to her during games, her response was, “Nobody gives me advice in-game. I wish.” That was viewed as a negative reflection on Ms. Sides.The coach has spent her share of time defending her prized rookie throughout the first half of this indoctrinating season. From arguing hard fouls to defending claims Ms. Clark is getting preferential treatment, Ms. Sides has deflected the constant scrutiny Ms. Clark receives.Now, Ms. Sides is asking for more from her star player, which is what a good coach does, especially on a team trying to end a losing streak. Ms. Clark blamed her lack of field goal attempts on the defense. “When you’re playing off a ball screen a lot and you get blitzed, you’re just going to have to give the ball up,” she said. “That’s just kind of how it rolls.”Despite the constant defensive attention, Ms. Clark leads all rookies, averaging 16.3 points per game and 6.6 assists. In reaching 300 points, 100 rebounds, and 100 assists in 19 games, she eclipsed three-time WNBA All-Star Andrea Stinson and five-time All-Star Shannon Johnson, who reached those numbers in 22 games.The Fever take a 7-12 record into Sunday’s game at Phoenix (9-8) where 42-year-old Diana Taurasi awaits to say hello. The Fever lost their first five games, and eight of their first nine before winning six of their last 10. They’ve struggled with consistency and turnovers throughout the season.While it’s clear the Fever are in the midst of a rebuilding campaign, Ms. Sides finds herself on the hot seat fighting for her job during the second half of the season. With Ms. Clark in the fold, the Fever job is coveted and should attract top candidates if it becomes vacant. Ms. Sides said she isn’t about to let what others think deflect her from her mission.“We’re the least experienced team in the league,” she said. “We’ve got a lot of growing up to do. That’s just what it is. The expectations from the outside, the noise from the outside doesn’t help. We have to stay connected, stay together, keep growing, keep getting better and finding ways to improve.”

Scrutiny That Follows Caitlin Clark Keeps Her Coach on the Hot Seat

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