Caitlin Clark denounces fan rhetoric, addresses next contract and backs Fever coach in exit interview

One week after the Fever’s season ended, Clark talked to reporters about a wide variety of topics on Thursday

Last Saturday, ESPN's College Gameday returned to Iowa City for the first time in decades, and former Iowa star Caitlin Clark made a special appearance as the guest picker ahead of the Hawkeyes' 31-14 loss to the Ohio State Buckeyes. As a result, Clark was not in attendance for the Indiana Fever's exit interviews, which took place while she was on TV. Clark has never been one to avoid the media, though, and she returned to Indianapolis on Thursday for her exit interview, which lasted just over 20 minutes and covered a wide range of topics, including fan interactions, Kelsey Mitchell's impending free agency and Clark's own contract extension decision.

Here are some key takeaways from what will likely be the last time we'll hear from Clark for months. Fan behavior, both in person and online, has been a near-constant topic in the WNBA discourse since Clark entered the league, and it flared up again during Game 2 of the Fever's first-round playoff series with the Las Vegas Aces when A'ja Wilson confronted a fan who had pointed at her after a foul call. Fever general manager Amber Cox stood up for Fever fans during her exit interview last Saturday, saying, "the attacks on our fan base have no basis in reality, and they need to stop, especially from members