Caitlin Clark talks to head coach Christie Sides during a May 3 preseason game.

At the end of the Indiana Fever’s May 12 practice, Caitlin Clark took a one-legged three point shot that was supposed to mimic a game-winning buzzer beater.

The shot missed.

Moments after the miss, Clark smacked a padded side-wall out of frustration, per ClutchPoints. She then laughed the miss off and returned to her teammates

Fever head coach Christie Sides spoke with media after the May 12 practice ended. When a reporter asked her about Clark smacking the wall after the miss, Sides said, “They’re all really competitive, and that’s what is gonna drive us,” per Scott Agness.

“Our competitive spirit,” Sides continued. “I mean, we wanna make sure that we’re the hardest working, most competitive team in the gym. They want to win everything, and we were working on some late-game stuff. And, I mean, [Clark] didn’t get the shot.”

Sides concluded by saying of Clark, “She’s gonna get those shots and she’s gonna hit ‘em. We’re gonna give her that opportunity.”

Where Clark’s Competitive Nature Comes From

Clark is one of three players featured in the ESPN+ “Full Court Press” mini-series that released on May 11.

During the series’ first episode, the Fever superstar’s parents reveal how she was treated by her two brothers and four male cousins.

“They would put her in a snowsuit and throw water balloons at her,” Clark’s mother said of Caitlin. “I mean, they were just awful to her.”

Clark’s brother Blake then reminisced on their childhood, saying, “When we have nothing to do, and it’s hot here, humid, and [Caitlin] has all of her snow gear on, so that she doesn’t feel getting hit. But she just wanted to play with us.”

“I just wanted to do everything that they did,” Clark then said. “On the day my older brother learned to ride how bike with no training wheels, I did too. Because I was so mad that he could do it but I couldn’t.”

Then Clark’s father imitated his daughter during that day, saying, “‘If my brother can do this without training wheels, I can do this without training wheels.’”

“Everything had to be a competition all the time,” Blake added of Caitlin’s mindset. He then details a story of Caitlin and their youngest brother, Colin, playing a game of basketball in the family basement.

After Caitlin missed a shot, she “chucked” her brother into a wall. Colin ended up needing five staples in the back of his head as a result.

Clark Missed Her First WNBA Buzzer Beater

On May 3, during the Fever’s 2024 WNBA preseason opener against the Dallas Wings, Clark got a similar buzzer beater opportunity at the end of the game. She missed the shot, and Indiana lost the game, 79-76.

Clark has been known to sink game-winning shots in the past. On January 2, Clark drained a game-winning buzzer beater against the Michigan State Spartans, to give her Iowa squad a 76-73 win at home.

Clark was asked about the shot by the Peacock broadcast postgame.

“You know, we practice those plays every single day in practice,” she said, per Women Hooping’s YouTube channel.

Clark’s future teammate Aliyah Boston then asked her how she stays so poised in these situations.

“You just come back, you’ve gotta let it go, and you’ve gotta respond,” Clark answered.