Caitlin Clark is quieting the noise, literally.
During a Nov. 3 appearance on Kylie Kelce's "Not Gonna Lie" podcast, the 24-year-old Indiana Fever guard revealed her strategy for avoiding on-court drama.
"And I try to honestly, like, do my best, to like, just act like I can't hear," Clark said. "I have really bad hearing to start with; I like ruptured my eardrums multiple times, so like, you get permanent hearing loss, but I just try to act like I can't hear. That makes them more mad."
Clark, known for her spirited, aggressive on-court demeanor, rejected being labeled a "trash talker," adding that she doesn't "really say anything to people."
"I don't even think I really am," she said. "Like, I feel like I only get like really hype. Say I make like three
3s in a row, I'm like, 'Oh yeah, like you can't guard that,' or something like that but like, in a fun way."
Clark won't hesitate, however, when it comes to defending herself.
"I mean, if somebody says something to me, I'll probably go back. The people I talk to the most is the (referees), which I need to do better at. People don't really talk trash to me," Clark said. "I like that to be honest, like I want you to say something to me."
Caitlin Clark is getting 'back to work'
Clark also said she is getting "back to work." The WNBA star reflected on her third year in the league in an Oct. 22 Instagram post, weeks after the superstar and her teammates lost to the Las Vegas Aces, the then-defending champions and No. 3 seed, in Sin City.
Indiana did not avenge its 2025 semifinals loss to the Aces. The Fever lost in the decisive Game 3, 94-83, just days after the team evened the series on Sept. 29.
"Thankful for a season of being healthy and doing what I love, had so much fun this year, but now it’s back to work :)" Clark wrote. "…and lots of really cool shoes still on the way."
Between the Oct. 1 release of her Nike signature shoe, the "Caitlin 1," and "EXTRAordinary! A Little EXTRA to Reach BIG Dreams," a children's book based on Clark's life, the WNBA star's offseason is off to a strong start.
While it's unclear what Clark's offseason will look like day to day, she'll likely continue her golf journey in her downtime and catch a Kansas City Chiefs game or two with Taylor Swift, as both women were recently spotted mingling at the NFL team's Oct. 18 matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers at Arrowhead Stadium.
Contributing: Meghan L. Hall, USA TODAY
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Caitlin Clark reveals the way she avoids on-court drama
