"She’s just a kid": Sophie Cunningham gives rare insight into surprising side of Caitlin Clark that fans don’t often see

Caitlin Clark had a quick transition from college basketball to the WNBA, immediately becoming the face of the league. Despite the enormous pressure, she has embraced the spotlight. However, Sophie Cunningham recently reminded fans that behind the fame, Clark is just a 23-year-old trying to enjoy her life.

In the first episode of her "Show Me Something" podcast, Cunningham praised her Indiana Fever teammate for meeting the high standards of the league and also gave fans a look into who Clark is outside of the game.

“She’s just goofy,” Cunningham said. “Everyone expects her to be a certain way and she is, on the court, but she’s lowkey a kid, like she’s 23 years old. She’s like my little cousin. It’s been fun to see where she’s at in her career… But I promise you she’s so chill, she doesn’t care, she’s always in sweats and a sweatshirt.”

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Caitlin Clark’s impact on women’s basketball has carried from Iowa to the WNBA, with her presence fueling unprecedented growth. Her arrival has increased viewership, in-arena attendance, merchandise sales, and overall revenue.

On the court, she’s lived up to the hype. In a historic rookie season, Clark averaged 19.2 points, 5.7 rebounds and 8.4 assists per game, receiving All-Star and All-WNBA First Team selections, and the Rookie of the Year award.

However, her sophomore season has been riddled with injuries, limiting her to just 13 games so far. Even in her absence, the Indiana Fever have fared well, currently sitting third in the Eastern Conference with a 14-12 record.

Caitlin Clark was targeted by peers as a rookie

During the 2024 WNBA season, Caitlin Clark faced a physical style of play, often appearing to be targeted more than other rookies. While many analysts dismissed the idea that jealousy played a role in this special treatment, Sophie Cunningham shed light on what the conversations were like in teams’ locker rooms.

Cunningham, who played for the Phoenix Mercury in 2024, revealed that the team spoke about challenging Clark more than the other rookies.

“You have seen players in our league try to toughen up Caitlin, even when I wasn’t on her team," Cunningham said (via Athlon Sports). "I know the talks Phoenix had in the locker room of like, 'We’re going to show her what the (WNBA) really is.'”

She added:

"Every rookie coming into the league that’s how you’re going to treat them. But there’s just more for [Clark].”

Caitlin Clark has endured several on-court altercations during the season as well. In the first half of the season, she was shoved by Angel Reese, poked in the eye by Jacy Sheldon, and pushed by Marina Mabrey.

Edited by Parag Jain