Lisa Bluder Linked To Indiana Fever Job Amid Caitlin Clark’s Early Struggles In The WNBA

Caitlin Clark  has had a no good, very bad start to her WNBA career with the Indiana Fever.

 

Indiana is 0-2 and lost both games by a combined 57 points. Meanwhile, Clark is 7-of-23 combined from the field for 29 points to go along with just nine assists and a league-high 13 turnovers.

But could help be on the way in the form of ex-Iowa head coach Lisa Bluder?

Indiana’s difficult start to the season, despite a roster that features Clark, 2023 No. 1 pick Aliyah Boston and 2022 No. 2 pick NaLyssa Smith has fans questioning the capability of head coach Christie Sides.

Sides took the Fever job prior to the 2023 season and then produced a league-worst 13-27 record.

Fans And Media Suggest Lisa Bluder For Indiana Fever Head Coaching Job

Now those same fans, and even some media members, are wondering if Bluder could step in and replace her.

Bluder, 63, recently announced her retirement after more than 20 seasons coaching the Iowa Hawkeyes.

But she did appear to leave the door open to a potential return when discussing her love the game.

 

“There is never an ideal time to retire and I am sure this fall that I will miss the games, the practices, the road trips, the atmosphere, the tremendous fans and, most importantly, the players,” she said in a statement at the time.

Bluder also has a unique bond with Clark which she’s spoken about at length.

“Everybody on our team respects her and just admires the way that she treats them. She’s just a very thoughtful, thoughtful individual,” Bluder said of Clark during the college season.

Could that respect and a chance at coaching women’s basketball at the highest level draw her out of retirement?

For one, the Fever job would have to come open first before it’s even a discussion. But if it does, it’s hard to imagine that there would be a better candidate than Bluder for the position.

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Caitlin Clark was the talk of the town Tuesday as she made her official WNBA debut. However, the parents of the Indiana Fever rookie took some of that spotlight as they watched their daughter in the game. Midway through the third quarter with the Fever trailing the Connecticut Sun 55-47, Clark committed a traveling violation. When the cameras panned to her parents who were watching from the sidelines, a look of disappointment can be seen.Making things worse, it’s actually the eighth turnover of the game for Clark, which probably added more to her parents’ frustration. It certainly wasn’t the best of nights for Caitlin Clark, as she went scoreless in the first quarter of the game. While she was able to recover from it, the Sun defense really made life hard for her. In the end, the Fever lost to the Sun, 92-71. Clark even claimed an unwanted history with 10 turnovers–the most by a player in their debut in WNBA history. 

 May 14, 2024; Uncasville, Connecticut, USA; Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) falls to the floor after a blocked shot by guard Rachel Banham (1) (not pictured) in the second quarter at Mohegan Sun Arena.

David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports

The reaction of Clark’s parents probably sums up the day for the Fever fan base. But the good news is it’s only the first game of the season and Clark still has plenty of room to learn and grow.

Caitlin Clark benched: Dave Portnoy slams ‘idiotic refs’ as WNBA star gets two questionable fouls in first five minutes of Indiana Fever debut.

Dave Portnoy was left furious just minutes into Caitlin Clark’s Indiana Fever debut – with the WNBA’s new star benched after two questionable fouls in the first five minutes.

Watch the video below:

Clark was twice judged to have fouled Alyssa Thomas in the opening exchanges, prompting coach Christie Sides to take her off the court to lower the risk of her getting to a tally of six and fouling out.

Clark, who ended up scoring 20 points on a night that ended with a debut loss against Connecticut Sun, could be heard shouting back ‘that’s not a foul’ after the second call.

Portnoy, and many fans watching at home, felt Sides had no choice after what they felt were terrible refereeing calls at a sold out Mohegan Sun Arena.

The Barstool Sports founder took to X to vent, saying: ‘Dear WNBA, nobody is watching if Caitlin Clark is on the bench so maybe tell your idiotic refs not to call two ticky tac fouls on her 5 seconds into the game. How dumb are you people?’

Caitlin Clark was benched early into her Indiana Fever debut for two questionable fouls

Dear @WNBA nobody is watching if Caitlin Clark is on the bench so maybe tell your idiotic refs not to call two ticky tac fouls on her 5 seconds into the game. How dumb are you people?

— Dave Portnoy (@stoolpresidente) May 14, 2024

It was a difficult start for Clark as the Fever took on the Connecticut Sun at Mohegan Sun Arena

Many fans followed suit in blaming the referees. One said: ‘These referees in Fever-Sun game need to understand how huge debut of Caitlin Clark is & be fired after the game.

‘Sellout crowd, biggest TV audience in WNBA history & they hit her with 2 bulls***, phantom fouls in first 5M. You could actually hear TVs switching channels.’

Another said: ‘I’m sure the WNBA is thrilled about their referees calling two questionable fouls on Caitlin Clark sending her to the bench not even half way through the first quarter of opening night.

‘Probably lost 70% of their audience before the first commercial break.’

A different fan wrote: ‘Great first quarter for WNBA … more people watching opening night than maybe ever before, and refs call two ticky-tack fouls on Caitlin Clark in first five minutes and she spends next five on the bench.

‘No matter the sport, refs can’t help themselves apparently.’

But while the fans were let down by the referees, Sides accepted that it was an overall problem for her team.

‘We’re fouling way too much,’ she told ESPN between the first and second quarter. The Connecticut Sun led 19-13 after the first quarter.

After starting the game 0-4, Clark got her first basket in the middle of the second quarter and she appeared to grow into the game as it went on.

But it ended up being a loss for Clark on her first WNBA game. The Sun won 92-71 in the end, even with Clark scoring 20 points.

Her next game comes on Thursday against New York Liberty. 

NEWS