Christie Sides and Caitlin Clark

Christie Sides and Caitlin Clark (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
Indiana Fever head coach Christie Sides has suggested that Caitlin Clark will be even better following her month-long break.

The WNBA is set to resume this week after pausing for the 2024 Summer Olympic Games, with several stars returning home with gold.

Clark was shockingly left off the team, so she got to enjoy some downtime. The way Sides sees it, she will be a greater threat to defenses around the league now that she’s rested.

The Fever will play the Phoenix Mercury on Friday in a matchup pitting Clark against Diana Taurasi. And, speaking ahead of the fixture, Sides pointed out that the point guard hadn’t taken a real break from the court since she started her senior season with Iowa in 2023, although she had to make sure the All-Star rookie was staying off the court.

“The break for Caitlin… We gave them some great opportunities to get enough rest,” she told ‘Locked On Women’s Basketball.’

“Now, she’s also a worker. I was always having to check in and make sure she was getting the rest that she needed. That’s just her mentality, which is why she is who she is… She needed to just get a break. A mental break, a physical break.” 

Christie Sides Put The WNBA On Caitlin Clark Notice

Christie Sides added that Caitlin Clark would be a different player coming out of the break as she needed mental and physical withdrawal from the game, something which should give her an edge for the remainder of the season.

“A month of rest for Caitlin Clark is exactly what she needed, and I think you’ll see a difference when we come out on Friday,” she remarked.

Clark’s rookie season has been far from perfect, but she’s still been amazing, averaging 17.1 points and 8.2 assists a game while inching toward the Rookie of the Year Award.

Should Sides be correct in her assessment, the WNBA might not be ready for a rested Caitlin Clark.

VIDEO: Cameras Caught Skylar Diggins-Smith Intentionally Targeting Caitlin Clark With Dirty Body Check During Heated Contest (nuna)