Caitlin Clark in Adversity Reveals What Kind of Teammate She Really Is

🎵 Welcome back to another episode of The Adrien Ross Show, where sports and culture meet.

First off, if I seem a little different today—it’s because I’m standing. Why? Because my cat stole my chair. I tried to move her, but she dug in and wasn’t going anywhere. Thankfully, I’ve got an adjustable desk, so here I am, standing and ready to talk.

And I want to take a moment to give a special shoutout to Caitlin Clark. Not because of a logo-three she hit, a no-look assist, or even one of her usual polished postgame interviews. No—this shoutout is for how she’s handled herself during a time when she hasn’t been able to do any of those things.

Despite her injury, Caitlin has carried herself with grace and poise. Her teammates admit she’s frustrated—any competitor would be—but in public, she’s been nothing short of a model teammate. She’s still traveling with the team, still cheering on the bench, still celebrating every win. Many injured players step away, but Caitlin refuses to disappear.

She understands how much she means to her team, to the league, and to the fans. In Chicago, someone I know said half the crowd was wearing Caitlin Clark gear. And what does she do? Instead of sulking or pulling back, she signs autographs. She spends time with fans—kids, adults, everyone. She knows how much she matters to the game, and she doesn’t take that lightly.

It would be easy for her to check out, to say, “I’m hurt. I don’t owe anyone anything.” But she’s not wired that way. She’s still present in practice, still hyping up her teammates—like when Michaela Timpson hit that half-court shot in practice and Caitlin jumped up like a kid, hands in the air, celebrating.

And then there’s the footage from Chicago: Caitlin, smiling and signing autographs before the game. Young fans lit up just to see her. One little girl was so overwhelmed she cried—twenty minutes of hugs, smiles, and pure joy. That’s the kind of impact Caitlin has.

After the Fever’s win over the Sky, Caitlin walked off with her teammates, flashing the “dub” hand sign with the squad. She may not be playing, but she’s right there, every step of the way. That’s what a consummate teammate looks like.

There’s a lot of outside noise trying to pit players against each other, but Caitlin doesn’t feed into it. She’s locked in—on her team, her fans, and her recovery. And honestly? That’s what makes her so easy to root for.

This isn’t about a highlight play or a stat line. It’s about professionalism. It’s about leadership. And it’s about Caitlin Clark showing us what it means to be a teammate in every sense of the word.

Shoutout to her—and shoutout to the Fever squad. I’ll catch you next time. God bless you abundantly. 🎵