Former Indiana Fever guard and Caitlin Clark’s first true veteran in the WNBA, Erica Wheeler, made a heartwarming gesture towards the superstar guard. Before their matchup on Wednesday in Los Angeles, Wheeler checked on Clark, who came off a two-game injury absence following a volatile clash against the Phoenix Mercury on Jun. 24.
“Your leg alright?” a mic’d up Wheeler asked Clark.
X user @SnapshotKyle shared the video:
Wheeler took Clark under her wing in her first season in the WNBA. The player publicly said she was taking the “first step” to let Clark know she was there for her to rely upon as she transitioned into the pros.
“I put as, like, you know, when you’re at different school, the first day of school, you don’t know anybody. And you find out one person that says hi to you that becomes your best friend,” Wheeler said. “For me, I just wanted to get ahead of it because I know this transition is tough. Just being undrafted and being a rookie, it’s very unlikely a vet, you know, just take you in.
“We got the same position, and I think oftentimes, people forget that I’m a great person before a basketball player. So for me, as a big sister, I’m just like, I’ma take the first step first to just let her [Clark] know like, we here, we got you,” Wheeler continued. “Whatever you need from me as your vet, and even in the same position, I got you.”
Wheeler often looked out for Clark on the court, protecting her from picking up technical fouls, among other things. However, their tenure together didn’t last long. With Clark taking over Wheeler’s position, the Fever looked for cheaper alternatives in 2025 to back up the superstar.
They signed veteran Sydney Colson, while Erica Wheeler departed to join the Seattle Storm. Nevertheless, Caitlin Clark’s dynamic with her first veteran remains special, as seen before Wednesday’s tip-off.
Caitlin Clark has a forgettable game, while Erica Wheeler plays a key role as the Sparks blow out the Fever
Erica Wheeler and the Los Angeles Sparks won 106-92 on Wednesday, spoiling Caitlin Clark’s return from injury. The Indiana Fever star was on a minute restriction for this clash. Clark finished with nine points, four rebounds, three assists, and four turnovers, shooting 4-for-12, including 1-for-6 from three-point range.
On the other hand, Wheeler played well while replacing the injured Kelsey Plum at point guard. Wheeler finished with 12 points, four rebounds and six assists, shooting 50.0% from the field.
The Fever had the upper hand, taking a 10-point lead early in the game. However, everything went downhill for the team after an inefficient shooting performance in the second quarter. Indiana lost the frame 27-16 and trailed Los Angeles by 17 points.
With Aliyah Boston out and Caitlin Clark underperforming in her limited minutes, the Fever struggled to bounce back the rest of the game. Kelsey Mitchell waged a lone battle with 29 points on 50.0% field goal shooting, while Lexie Hull added 14 points.
Read more:
- Caitlin Clark Takes Pride in Her Resiliency And Says She’s at Her Best Ever After Winning June Player of The Month
- “You Don’t Put Your Hand on Someone’s Throat”: Aliyah Boston Shares Honest Take on Alyssa Thomas’ Foul on Caitlin Clark
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