You know, not many realize Caitlin Clark isn’t just a generational athlete, she’s also a serious scholar. In high school, she juggled advanced courses with a 3.86 GPA, then went on to major in marketing and minor in communication studies in college. Total all-rounder, right? But behind all her skills you could measure in numbers, there’s still some other things that set her apart. Thankfully, Sophie Cunningham was not one to shy away from revealing it.

Clark is currently in the middle of what you could call a bad-luck season. That groin injury she picked up against the Connecticut Sun back on July 15 has kept her off the floor for over a month now. But here’s the part that makes Caitlin different despite a setback. As Cunningham puts it, she’s still putting in all the work.

According to the Indiana Fever player during an appearance on ‘The Right ‘REED’ podcast’ on August 15, Clark’s biggest factor is simple: her work ethic. “The way she thinks? She’s different. She’s a different breed, man. Like she is a squirrel brain to the max, but when she dials in, it’s a different level. And the way that she works out, she’s a perfectionist. It’s inspiring, right? Like she’s in the gym regardless of what’s going on. She’s been injured a lot this year, but the way she’s in there 8, 9+ hours a day trying to rehab, trying to be better…like a lot of people in her position, especially that young, not really knowing the league and having that experience, they wouldn’t be doing what she’s doing. But she’s invested,” the player said, before heartily how it’s just Clark’s world and she’s just living in it.

Acknowledging that she’ll continue to support her teammate, Cunningham stated, “I’m just there to be a supporting cast. I’ll be there to be a good teammate, give her confidence because at the end of the day, everyone thinks that us athletes…the people who are really in the spotlight, that they’re invincible and they don’t have feelings or emotions, but that’s a lot of pressure. Think about when you were 22-23 years old and you had the world watching you like that. That a lot of pressure. And so, I want to see [Caitlin] be successful, and I know she’s going to be. She already is. But I’m just there to give her love and just to encourage and keep feeding her confidence because she is a different breed.” But what ultimately took the cake was a fiery confession from Clark’s teammate.

“I think she’s the face of the league, and I’m tired of people saying she’s not. There’s no argument that Caitlin Clark is the face of our league,” she declared. Well, looks like on and off the court, Clark has a solid supporter.

Having said that, this isn’t the first time we’ve heard stories about the Iowa alum’s insane work ethic. Fever coach Stephanie White has been upfront about what makes Caitlin special. She explained that a lot of it comes down to how Clark works during practice. “One of the things I knew about her from afar, but just seeing it on a daily basis, is the way she works,” White said. “I mean, we talk about work ethic a lot, but work style is another thing. She doesn’t waste reps. She literally embodies the ‘How you do anything is how you do everything.’” It shows.

Despite all the ups and downs of her rookie season, Clark still led Indiana back to the playoffs for the first time since 2016. That’s not small. And even with injuries now slowing her down, the “Caitlin Clark effect” hasn’t gone anywhere. Arenas are still sold out. Fans line up hours early just to get her autograph. And yes, she’s still traveling with the team, still giving everything she can, even when she can’t suit up. Earlier this year, Caitlin herself admitted, “This is the first time I haven’t felt like a young body that can run around and sprint every day and just continue to do that.” And yet, here she is, showing up every day. That says everything.

Even back in her Iowa days, fans were driving hundreds of miles and shelling out big money just to see her play. But now, her reach has gone global. Earlier this season, after the Fever upset the Liberty in Indy, a reporter told Caitlin that five fans had flown in from Hong Kong,  22 hours just to watch her hoop. The 23-year-old was stunned. That’s the kind of pull we’re talking about.

Now, all anyone can do is hope she gets healthy and returns soon. 

ESPN Hints at Caitlin Clark’s long-awaited return date

Fever fans are just waiting, refreshing injury reports, and hoping for some good news about Caitlin Clark. The superstar guard has missed 12 straight games (and over 20 in total this season). And while Indiana held strong for a bit, even going on a five-game win streak without her, reality has started to hit hard. The Fever have dropped four of their last five games.

To make things worse, there’s been zero official clarity from the team on when exactly she’ll be back. But ESPN might have just given us a hint. Back in late July, their official WNBA injury report page listed Clark’s estimated return for August 12 against the Dallas Wings. Well, that date came and went without any sign of her.

But now, there’s been an update. According to ESPN’s site, Clark’s new estimated return date is August 26, when the Fever face the Seattle Storm at home. So, is that finally the day Fever fans get their star back? Nothing is confirmed yet, of course, but at least there’s a glimmer of hope. Because the truth is the Fever are still hanging onto a playoff spot. If the season ended today, they’d face the Atlanta Dream in the first round. But if Indiana actually wants to make some noise in the postseason, they’ll need Caitlin Clark on the floor.