SAN FRANCISCO, CA - MAY 28: Head coach Stephanie White and Caitlin Clark 22 of the Indiana Fever watch on during a game against the Golden State Valkyries on May 28, 2026 at Chase Center in San Francisco, CA. Photo by Matthew Huang/Icon Sportswire WNBA, Basketball Damen, USA MAY 28 Indiana Fever at Golden State Valkyries EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon260528205
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - MAY 28: Head coach Stephanie White and Caitlin Clark 22 of the Indiana Fever watch on during a game against the Golden State Valkyries on May 28, 2026 at Chase Center in San Francisco, CA. Photo by Matthew Huang/Icon Sportswire WNBA, Basketball Damen, USA MAY 28 Indiana Fever at Golden State Valkyries EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon260528205
Caitlin Clark's game has always been defined by elite vision, range, and pace. This season, Indiana Fever head coach Stephanie White is pointing to something else entirely.
After the Fever's 96-77 win over the Minnesota Lynx on Tuesday, White was asked about Clark's improved ability to handle physicality and defend bigger players. Her response was immediate.
"She's swole," White said. "What are you talking about? She got swole."
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - AUGUST 14: Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark 22 in the second half of play during a WNBA, Basketball Damen, USA game between the Dallas Wings and the against the Indiana Fever on August 14, 2026 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, IN. Photo by Jeffrey Brown/Icon Sportswire WNBA: AUG 14 Dallas Wings at Indiana Fever EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon081426036
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - AUGUST 14: Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark 22 in the second half of play during a WNBA, Basketball Damen, USA game between the Dallas Wings and the against the Indiana Fever on August 14, 2026 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, IN. Photo by Jeffrey Brown/Icon Sportswire WNBA: AUG 14 Dallas Wings at Indiana Fever EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon081426036
When the reporter pointed out that opponents used to be "very handsy" with Clark, White doubled down, laughing.
"She got swole! She gives just as much as she gets anymore,” said White, as per James Boyd on X. “So, I like it."
White expanded on where the transformation came from, explaining that Clark made a conscious effort to get stronger after dealing with injury last year.
"I think her center of gravity is lower. I think she plays lower to the ground than she used to," White said.
The shift marks a real change from Clark's first two seasons, when she often absorbed heavy contact, with defenders crowding her, bumping her off spots, and using physicality to disrupt her rhythm. While that treatment hasn't disappeared entirely, she's responded by adding strength and changing how she initiates contact rather than just absorbing it.
The impact has been visible on the floor. Clark finished with 27 points, nine assists, seven rebounds, and four steals against Minnesota, converting through contact and holding her ground defensively. She's also averaging a career-high number of free-throw attempts this season, a sign she's drawing more fouls by attacking with force rather than shying away from contact.
And with this new physicality at play, Clark is racking up some major numbers.
Caitlin Clark compared to Steph Curry after Lynx game
Clark continues to rewrite the record books, and her latest stretch of dominance has drawn a rare comparison to NBA legend Stephen Curry.
Over her past five games, the Indiana Fever star has averaged more than 30 points and 10 assists while shooting at an elite level. According to widely shared tracking data, as posted on X by Automatic NBA, Clark became the first WNBA player to average 30 points, 10 assists, and 2 steals while shooting 53 percent from two, 44 percent from three, and 92 percent from the free-throw line across a five-game span.
The only other player in NBA or WNBA history to post that exact combination over five games is Curry.
The stretch included 27 points, 9 assists, 7 rebounds, and 4 steals against Minnesota, along with games of 25 points and 5 assists, 28 points and 14 assists, 34 points with 12 assists, and 37 points with 10 assists and eight threes.
Do you think this added physicality will be the difference-maker for Clark heading into the playoffs?
Written by
Zaid Quraishi