Caitlin Clark has been a force in the WNBA, but recently, the Indiana Fever star has been forced to the sidelines due to a groin injury that has kept her out of five straight games.
While fans await her return, Clark’s absence was particularly noted on Sunday – not on the court, but at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, where her boyfriend, Connor McCaffery, and his father, Fran McCaffery, took part in a ceremonial first pitch before the Phillies-Reds game.
The 2024 All-Star guard is currently rehabbing and remains day-to-day, though she has expressed confidence in her recovery.
“I feel good… doing everything I can to put myself in a position to play the next game,” she told reporters this week.
Fever coach Stephanie White echoed a cautious tone, saying the team is focused on keeping the injury from lingering.
Despite Clark’s absence, the Fever have held steady with a 9-9 record. She has been a key contributor when healthy, averaging 18.2 points, 8.9 assists, 5.0 rebounds, and 1.6 steals per game in nine appearances. Her performance earned her a captain’s spot in the upcoming WNBA All-Star Game in Indianapolis on July 19.
McCaffery family has moment on the mound
While Clark continued her recovery, her boyfriend Connor McCaffery joined his father, Penn men’s basketball coach Fran McCaffery, on the field in Philadelphia for a ceremonial moment honoring Fran’s return to his hometown. The elder McCaffery, now leading the Quakers, spent 15 years coaching the Iowa Hawkeyes men’s basketball team, from 2010 to 2025.
During his tenure, he guided Iowa to multiple NCAA Tournament appearances, including a Big Ten Tournament championship in 2022. His son Connor played under him from 2017 to 2023, making a name for himself as a versatile guard. In his senior season, Connor posted averages of 6.5 points, 4.1 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 1.3 steals across 32 games.
Both McCafferys share deep basketball roots – and a growing connection to baseball, at least for the day. Though Caitlin Clark didn’t attend the event, fans on social media speculated about her absence, given her highly public relationship with Connor. Still, many understood her focus was likely on health and the Fever’s playoff push.
Clark and McCaffery’s relationship dates back to their shared time at the University of Iowa, where Clark rose to national prominence by leading the women’s team to consecutive national title game appearances in 2023 and 2024. Even without her in the stands, the McCafferys’ appearance at the Phillies game stood as a celebration of family, sports, and hometown pride.
As Clark aims to return to action – possibly in the Fever’s next matchup against the Golden State Valkyries this Wednesday – fans are eager to see one of basketball’s most dynamic playmakers back on the floor.
For now, her absence is felt both on and off the court.
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