The WNBA season is finally here, and after months of intense negotiations over a new labor agreement, the league and players' association have ratified a fresh collective bargaining agreement. That means fans can now look forward to seeing their favorite stars back on the hardwood, ready to tip off a highly anticipated season.
In the buildup to the action, The Athletic dropped its preseason All-WNBA team predictions, and there's already a surprise that's got fans talking. Indiana Fever sensation Caitlin Clark—last season's Rookie of the Year and a top-five MVP finisher—was left off the first team. Instead, the panel of Annie Costabile, Brian Hamilton, Chantel Jennings, and Sabrerena Merchant placed her on the second team.
The reasoning? "Clark hasn't played consistent WNBA basketball in more than a year, and that uncertainty bumps her slightly off her top-five MVP peak during her rookie season," the feature noted. It's a bold call for a player who electrified the league in her debut season, but the experts are hedging their bets on whether she can maintain that level.
A big factor this year is Clark's evolving role under new head coach Stephanie White. White plans to move Clark off the ball more often than fans saw in her first two seasons, a strategic shift aimed at easing her workload. "The way that people and teams play Caitlin is different than how they play everyone else. It's the nature of her skillset, what she brings to the table, and it's really the ultimate compliment," White explained. "In order to alleviate how hard she has to work on every single possession, it's important to get her off the ball sometimes. When you think about what are the ways that you can rest when on the floor, that's one way."
White emphasized this isn't a permanent change but a smart management tool. "I know people are freaking out about this thing, it's not all the time thing either. It's a way to help her load management. It's a way to help alleviate some of the extra stuff that's put on her shoulders throughout the course of the game."
If Clark adapts to this new role and elevates her game, don't be surprised if The Athletic's panel ends up wishing they'd given her that first-team nod after all. For now, the debate is just another reason to tune in as the season gets underway.