Basketball legend Lisa Leslie praises Caitlin Clark, effect she's had on WNBA

WNBA legend Lisa Leslie praised Caitlin Clark’s impact on the league as the sharpshooter readies for her second season with the Indiana Fever.

The former Los Angeles Sparks superstar talked to Sports Illustrated about Clark and the chances of the Fever winning the WNBA championship thanks to a new head coach and veteran pieces the organization added in the offseason.

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"Let me just say, Caitlin Clark has had an amazing impact on the WNBA," Leslie told the outlet. "Her ability to come out and play, especially after her college season. And then to come into the WNBA and just really have the effect that she did, it was really outstanding. I was so proud of Caitlin."

Leslie said that, on paper, the Fever’s roster "looks amazing." Indiana added Sydney Colson, Sophie Cunningham and DeWanna Bonner to the roster and re-hired Stephanie White as their new head coach.

The Basketball Hall of Famer said with the buildup of the roster and the heightened expectations, there also comes added pressure.

"So when you talk about Caitlin in her sophomore year, she's more seasoned, she has had time to rest. She's had time to really regroup and see exactly where she wants to go," Leslie said. "Obviously, (the Fever) have a ton of new players, a new coach. And that also builds a lot of pressure. It is so hard to win. It's not easy to win the first year that you get a new coach, new teammates, and you're trying to build this chemistry. I don't want to put too much pressure. I think the Indiana Fever, as far as on paper, looks amazing. Now they've got to put it all together.

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"And they can possibly. I'm not saying they can't. The All-Star Game is there in Indiana. Everything is laid out. Caitlin has had time to really process what the WNBA looks like, what it feels like. And it's going to be exciting, so I'm sure fans will tune in. Everything's already sold out. And some teams, when Caitlin comes to town, they've already had to get into larger arenas. So all of those things about the Caitlin Clark effect are true."

Clark did not make the U.S. women’s national basketball team for the 2024 Paris Olympics. However, it appeared to be a blessing in disguise as she appeared to be more in sync with her Fever teammates after the Olympics break than she was at the beginning of the regular season.

Indiana made the playoffs in 2024 for the first time since 2016, when White was still the head coach. The Fever finished 20-20 in 2024 and have brought back key players like Kelsey Mitchell, Aliyah Boston, Natasha Howard and Lexie Hull.

The Fever’s 2025 season begins on May 17 against the Chicago Sky.

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