A lot of sports media members still don’t know how to talk about Caitlin Clark.
That’s not a knock on Carolyn Peck, at least, not intentionally. But the former Purdue head coach drew some ire this week when she suggested the Indiana Fever might actually be better without Clark. Or at least, that’s how plenty of people heard it. And that’s because Peck said during a SportsCenter spot with Michael Eaves that the Fever were “more dangerous” without Clark.
The Fever improved to 4-4 without the Iowa Hawkeyes product, following an 81-54 drubbing of the Las Vegas Aces in the Commissioner’s Cup Final. Clark has missed the past five games with a groin injury, including Saturday’s matchup against the Los Angeles Sparks.
“Look, I think Indiana is even more dangerous when Caitlin Clark doesn’t play, because she’s a ball-dominant guard,” Peck said earlier this week. “The ball’s in her hands a lot, so you know what you need to try to take away. But when you look at Indiana now, they’ve got so many weapons. And Kelsey Mitchell is playing out of her mind. Aliyah Boston, I talked to [Fever head coach] Stephanie White before the game. She said in Year 1, Aliyah Boston was back to the basket. Year 2, two-man game. Year 3, they’re using her as a decision maker.
“And so, when you have a point guard like Kelsey Mitchell and Aari McDonald, making plays on the post and the perimeter, like Aliyah Boston, I’m gonna tell you, Indiana, they’re a threat. And specifically on the defensive end. Stephanie is so pleased with the intensity they’re bringing defensively with their length, their switches. I mean, they wreaked havoc on their last two opponents.”
Caroline Peck saying the @IndianaFever are more dangerous WITHOUT Caitlin Clark. (I’m keeping receipts now) pic.twitter.com/Tv7ZZgXRYa
— Ken Swift (@kenswift) July 4, 2025
In saying the Fever were “more dangerous” without Clark, Perck was trying to make a point about how Indiana can utilize its depth and versatility with a ball-dominant guard off the court. Naturally, it was taken by many as another slight at Clark herself. So, like most people who venture into Caitlin Clark discourse these days, she was forced to clarify what she actually meant.
I did not say Caitlin Clark is not Valuable . She’s a-great player. For those who only see Caitlin, I was complimenting the rest of the team. The Fever have several weapons. Yes, they lost last night. They have lost games w her. RESPECT to the WHOLE @IndianaFever team.
— CAROLYN PECK (@CAROLYNPECK) July 6, 2025
As a coach, if you have ever prepared a scouting report? Scout the Fever w &w/out Caitlin. What do you have to take away in both scenarios? They are different. One is not easier than the other, just different. There is a lot of talent on that team.
— CAROLYN PECK (@CAROLYNPECK) July 6, 2025
Peck clarified that she wasn’t downplaying Clark’s value, but wanted to make sure to highlight the strength and depth of the Fever’s supporting cast. Around Clark, they’ve suddenly become a team that’s quietly grown more balanced, more versatile, and more difficult to gameplan for. As Peck put it, scouting the Fever, whether with or without Clark, requires different strategies. One isn’t easier than the other. They’re just different.
That’s not to say they’re “more dangerous” without one of the faces of the league, but it is a sign of real growth. The Fever are starting to look like a team that can adapt, defend, and win in different ways, and maybe that’s exactly what Clark needs around her.
