The attention Caitlin Clark’s received since joining the WNBA as the top 2024 draft pick is unprecedented.

And, unfortunately, it’s been accompanied by awkward interactions with reporters who clearly don’t know how to treat a professional athlete.

Clark and the Indiana Fever dropped their third straight game to begin the 2024 WNBA season in a 91-80 loss to Sabrina Ionescu and the New York Liberty.

Clark showed signs of progress, though. The former Iowa Hawkeyes finished the game with 22 points, eight rebounds and six assists.

After the game, Clark met with the media to discuss her team’s performance. But the session took an unexpected turn when a reporter asked the Fever rookie a question about sports gambling.

“I asked Caitlin Clark about the growth of gambling around the WNBA and how she’s dealt with people placing bets on her…,” a reporter announced on X.

Clark bluntly addressed the question, adding her lack of interest on the topic and the need for her attention to be on basketball.

“To be honest, I never hear about it, I could care less,” Clark said.

She added, “Everybody can do whatever they want with their life.”

Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) applauds while looking at the scoreboard in the third quarter against the New York Liberty at Barclays Center.

Sports gambling is obviously a prevalent topic in the industry right now, especially as the WNBA continues to grow. But using a press conference to ask a professional athlete about it is the definition of wrong place, wrong time.

Clark, to no surprise, handled the question with class, though. She’s clearly mature beyond her years.

Clark and the Fever will try and win their first game of the season Monday night vs. the Connecticut Sun. Indiana fell to Connecticut in its season opener last week.