Much was said about Caitlin Clark’s groin injury, sustained on June 24, which sidelined her for two weeks. Her much-anticipated return came on Wednesday, July 9, against the Golden State Valkyries, but the result was a complete disaster, as the Indiana Fever were crushed 80-61. Saying they simply “lost” doesn’t begin to describe what actually happened.
It was, perhaps, the worst performance of the season for the Indiana Fever. Expectations were sky-high for Clark’s comeback, but it seemed the two-week layoff left her with rust in both her knees and her shooting arm.
Clark never found the rhythm her team desperately needed. Her timing was off, and her shooting was inefficient. She hit just 4 of 12 field goal attempts and finished with a disappointing 10 points.
Failing grades all around
While Clark’s performance was poor, disappointing, and far from her usual standard, she wasn’t the only one who struggled. However, as the face of the franchise, the spotlight-and the criticism-inevitably fell on her. Her teammates also failed to produce even a minimally acceptable performance.
Indiana made only 21 of their 68 shot attempts in the entire game. That 30.9% shooting efficiency, as reported by Indiana journalist Brian Haenchen of IndyStar, marked the team’s worst offensive showing since 2019.
With numbers like that, there’s not much to do other than work relentlessly in practice to absorb the system of head coach Stephanie White, and more importantly, execute it precisely during games.
Ironically, until this game, the 2026 season had been shaping up as one of the best in franchise history since it was established in 2000. The team had been shooting at a solid 46.5% from the field. That’s why this sudden 16% drop from their season average was so alarming.
A chance to bounce back
The silver lining after Wednesday’s debacle is that the Fever will have an immediate opportunity to redeem themselves and prove they still have the talent and potential to contend for the championship.
On Friday, July 11, they’ll face the Atlanta Dream, an ideal moment to recover from the disaster against the Valkyries and get back on track.
The formula remains simple: more training, more shooting reps, and full adherence to the game plan. Coach White expressed clear frustration that her players weren’t applying the concepts worked on in practice-and it showed. Now it’s up to Clark and the Fever to turn things around and show what they’re really made of.
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