Christie Sides, the coach of the Indiana Fever, ignites controversy when he likens Caitlin Clark to Diana Taurasi.
Following her record-breaking performance against the New York Liberty, Sides commended Clark.
Christie Sides, the head coach of the Indiana Fever, has chimed in on the WNBA Rookie of the Year debate and made a compelling case for her standout point guard, Caitlin Clark.
Christie Sides backs Caitlin Clark in the race for the ROY
Sides thinks Clark is a strong candidate for the award because of her outstanding season, despite the Chicago Sky’s loud support for Angel Reese as the front-runner.
Clark has made an impressive impact in her debut season, securing a spot in the WNBA All-Star Game and setting records along the way. Most notably, she became the first rookie in WNBA history to record a triple-double during the Fever’s 83-78 victory over the New York Liberty. Sides praised Clark’s competitiveness and work ethic, drawing comparisons to WNBA legend Diana Taurasi. “I’m always going to make a case for my players. First and foremost, she is the most competitive human being I’ve ever met,”Sides stated. “I really compare her to Diana Taurasi. She’s always looking to find ways to get better. ‘How can I help the team? What can we do?’ … But she just wants to win. She just wants to win and to me, she’s going to be my [WNBA] Rookie of the Year every day – every day.”
Caitlin Clark vs Angel Reese continues hold on WNBA discourse The debate over who should be named Rookie of the Year has gained traction, with both Clark and Reese showing remarkable talent and consistency. Their performances have drawn significant attention, leading to increased attendance and television ratings for the WNBA. Clark, 22, has been a standout, leading all WNBA rookies in points per game with 16.1 and assists per game with 7.4. Her modesty and team-oriented attitude were evident in her response to questions about her historic triple-double.
“Honestly, I’m just happy we won,” Clark remarked.
“I take a lot of pride in being able to do a lot of different things for this team… Obviously 13 assists, that means my teammates made 13 shots off my passes, so that goes to them. But I mean, I don’t know… I don’t know what to say. It’s great, I don’t know.”
Clark’s contributions have helped the Fever improve to a 9-13 record, with Sides noting the team’s evolving chemistry and rhythm.
“She found her rhythm tonight,”Sides said of Clark’s recent performance.
“The timing for our players is getting better every game… now that chemistry is there, that timing is there and that’s going to keep getting better.”
The rivalry between Clark and Reese dates back to their college basketball days, with their high-profile matchups continuing to draw attention at the professional level.
Both were named to the 2024 WNBA All-Star team, and their first-time collaboration in the All-Star game on July 20 in Phoenix is highly anticipated.
As the Rookie of the Year race continues, Sides’ endorsement of Clark adds an interesting dimension to the conversation.
With both Clark and Reese consistently delivering impressive performances, the debate over who deserves the title is far from settled.
