Pacers' Tyrese Haliburton reacts to Fever's Caitlin Clark WNBA Draft pick
16/04/2024 03:46
It is official. Caitlin Clark just became the 2024 WNBA Draft’s first overall pick and is headed to the Indiana Fever. The basketball state has long awaited for both its teams to reclaim glory. Now, it looks like they got their wish. Tyrese Haliburton welcomed the Iowa women’s basketball legend to the state before the Indiana Pacers duke it out in the NBA postseason.
“Glad we're finally on the same side! Congrats and welcome to the city!! @CaitlinClark22,” Tyrese Haliburton wrote on X.
This was not the only message that the Pacers star sent to the new franchise darling of the Fever. He recorded a message for Caitlin Clark before the 2024 WNBA Draft, via the Indiana Pacers.
“What’s up, Caitlin? Welcome to Indy. Welcome to the squad. So excited to have you here, so excited to watch you and your growth and see you get better. I’m just excited to have you in Indy alongside. So, go Fever,” he declared.
The two share a lot of similarities. Before being a star in the Pacers and Sacramento Kings, Tyrese Haliburton also spent his days in Iowa, albeit he went to the Cyclones instead of the Hawkeyes. Moreover, Caitlin Clark and Tyrese Haliburton also run both the break and half-court sets really well as a guard. So, it is safe to say that the similar play styles of the Fever and Pacers will usher in a new brand of basketball for the state of Indiana.
Gainbridge Fieldhouse might even be fully booked all year round because of these two. The Pacers are going to start their era of competing consistently in the postseason once again with Haliburton leading the charge. Clark and Aliyah Boston will immediately start their campaign following the NBA Playoffs. The two will definitely give the Fever a chance to get a WNBA championship down the line.
A tale of two teams in the NBA & WNBA
More than the geographical location of their colleges and play style, Haliburton and Clark put up big numbers for their teams night in and night out. Just this past season, the Pacers guard notched his first NBA All-Star nod after leading a generational offense that racks in 123.3 points on average. Their offensive efficiency is also great. They possess 1.170 team offensive efficiency which is good for second in all of the league.
There are big concerns for the Pacers entering the postseason. Their defense has been costing them games and allowing teams to score against them with ease. Another point of worry is the fact that their production dropped after the All-Star break. So, they ended the season with only 47 wins when they could have done so much more.
For the Fever, it is roughly the same story. They have a great offense that scores 81 points per contest while having an offensive rating of 103. But, their defense continues to be their downfall. The Fever allows the most points on average among all WNBA teams (85.1). Their defensive rating of 108.1 is also poor because it ranks 11th in the league. Clark might be able to help the Fever immediately after the WNBA Draft.
Will both squads patch up their woes?
The post Pacers’ Tyrese Haliburton reacts to Fever’s Caitlin Clark WNBA Draft pick appeared first on ClutchPoints.
