INDIANAPOLIS — As the Indiana Fever prepared to make their No. 1 pick on draft night, point guard Erica Wheeler sat in Gainbridge Fieldhouse, squeezing the hands of teammates Lexie Hull and Maya Caldwell.

They all knew what name was coming. But the anticipation of it being official captivated the three teammates − as well as the fans who came to watch with them. 

As Caitlin Clark’s name came through the fieldhouse jumbotron, all three of them jumped up, Wheeler fist-pumping and clapping in celebration. They already had the Fever’s red alternate Rebel jerseys ready with Clark’s name and No. 22 on the back, and they didn’t waste any time putting them on. 

Later on draft night, as Clark was bouncing from different media obligations, Wheeler tried to FaceTime her. While she didn’t pick up during the night, Wheeler still wanted to be one of the first to welcome her to Indianapolis. 

"I put it as like, you know, when you go to a different school, the first day of school you don't know anybody," Wheeler said. "Then, you find that one person that says hi to you, and they become your best friend. For me, I just wanted to get ahead of it because I know this transition is tough."

Wheeler, the teammate who plays the same position as the Iowa superstar, isn’t the person you’d expect to be the most excited about Clark coming to town. With the coveted No. 1 pick coming in to play point guard, Wheeler's on-court role will likely drastically change.

But Wheeler isn’t the type of person to have anything against someone who simply plays the same position as her. She’s the type of person to help someone, no matter what, and give them the support they need to get through an immense change in such a short amount of time.

And she wanted to make sure the Fever’s newest player knew that coming in.

"It’s how I was raised, I don't have no hate in my heart," Wheeler said. "I want everybody around me to win. Whether you are winning or not, I still want to push you to be great. So for me, I just thought, like, if I get ahead of it, I'm just making it comfortable right away. It's just an easy, smooth transition. For me, I actually love it because I like being a big sister. I like helping first. I don't really like getting help. So, it's refreshing for me to be able to help her and be her big sister."

Three weeks later, Wheeler has been the one teammate Clark has consistently pointed to as the person who has helped her the most. 

"I think she’s somebody that simply wants the best for people, no matter what," Clark said. "People can say that, but she really lives it, every day, and you can tell that she’s going to push me, hold me accountable, she’s going to find ways to help me learn, but at the same time, she’s going to have my back every single day, and that’s something I’m really grateful for coming into this league, having a vet that really wants the best for you is special."

Wheeler, who started at point guard last season, is entering the final year of her contract and will likely either back up Clark at point guard or play out of position in the starting lineup.

Throughout the first two days of training camp, coach Christie Sides experimented with lineups. There were times Wheeler and Clark were on the floor with the starting lineup (regular starter and WNBA All-Star Kelsey Mitchell is out with an ankle injury), and other times when Wheeler ran with the second unit.

But Wheeler doesn’t have an ego about these things, Sides said. She is an embodiment of the "We, not me" mentality Sides pushes in their culture.

"All she wants to do is do whatever this team needs, whatever she needs to do for us to be successful," Sides said. "And I can ask her for anything. If I'm gonna tell her she's gonna come off the bench, she's gonna come off the bench. If I tell her I need her to do this, she's going to do that. I mean, that's just who she is ... her voice and her leadership, it just means so much to our entire team."

Follow IndyStar Fever Insider Chloe Peterson on Twitter at @chloepeterson67.

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