Caitlin Clark opens up about her struggles with media as Fever rookie admits she talks to reporters more than her family: 'It's really kind of sad'

Caitlin Clark and her Indiana Fever teammate Aliyah Boston opened up about their struggles with social media and reporters following their first win of the young WNBA season on Friday in Los Angeles.

'I think for myself it's definitely been a whirlwind over the last couple of months,' Clark, the first pick of the 2024 WNBA Draft, revealed after Friday's 78-73 win over the LA Sparks. 'Honestly I think I talk to the media more than I get to talk to my own family – I'm being dead serious – which is really kind of sad in a way. It's a lot for somebody that's 22-years-old.'

Clark has struggled as a WNBA rookie for the 1-5 Fever after her record-breaking career at Iowa. In addition to losing her first five professional games, she's also faced criticism for allegedly benefitting from 'white privilege,' according to View host Sunny Hostin.

After Friday's win, Clark admitted that dealing with the media 'can be tough at times.'

'Our team is really young,' she said in a clip that was posted online by KCAL News' Chris Hayre. 'It's difficult navigating this. I absolutely love it and wouldn't change it for the world, but I think just getting off social media has been the healthiest thing.

'This is my job,' she continued. 'This is what I love to do. I never want to lose the fun of the game. Nights like tonight just remind of why I love playing basketball and why I started playing basketball. You get a win, and then you walk off the floor and there are so many young kids just screaming your name. I think it's the little things that remind me every single day why I do this and why I love it.'

Boston, meanwhile, said she's turned to the Bible to help her avoid the negativity of both traditional and social media.

'There's a lot of couch coaches and there's a lot of people that have never stepped on the floor that just continue to tell you how you should be playing basketball,' Boston said. 'Honestly, we're messing up whatever bets they have going on. And personally, I'd rather not know [about the wagers] because obviously I did try to get those rebounds, I just didn't. And so I just logged off. It's been better for me.'

The discussion followed a curious comment from Clark's former college rival, Chicago Sky power forward Angel Reese, who appeared to take a dig at the Fever rookie in a since-deleted post.

After Chicago's win over the New York Liberty in Brooklyn on Thursday, Reese wrote: 'And that's on getting a WIN in a packed [arena] not just cause of one player on our charter flight. #SKYTOWN.'

Clark has been credited with the surge of interest in the WNBA after being picked first by Indiana in April's Draft - the same event where Reese was picked by Chicago.

Reese's Sky did not have charter flights at the start of the season, while Clark and Indiana did. However, since May 21, all WNBA teams have been using charter flights following years of commercial travel.

Clark and Boston helped Indiana snap its five-game losing streak in front of a record crowd of 19,103 that included celebrities such as Jason Sudeikis, Rosie O'Donnell, Kathy Griffin, DeMar DeRozan and Clark's fellow Iowa native, Ashton Kutcher. Clark had 11 points and 10 rebounds, while Kelsey Mitchell led Indiana (1-5) with 18 points. Boston and Temi Fagbenle each chipped in with 17 apiece.

The game featured the youth and future of the WNBA, with No. 1 draft pick Clark playing against No. 2 pick Cameron Brink and fourth selection Rickea Jackson of the Sparks.

'They're making a huge impact in our league,' Fever coach Christie Sides said before the game.

Brink had 15 points and nine rebounds and Jackson added 16 points off the bench for the Sparks (1-3). Dearica Hamby had 18 points and 12 rebounds.