After an ironwoman collegiate career where she played in 185 consecutive games, Caitlin Clark‘s introduction to the WNBA has been plagued by injury setbacks. She’s already missed 12 games this season due to three separate injuries.
Most recently, she sat out the All-Star Game and continues to be ruled out on a game-by-game basis, offering little clarity for Fever fans hoping to see her return.
Head coach Stephanie White hinted at the severity of the issue after Indiana’s loss to the New York Liberty coming out of the All-Star break.
“These soft tissue injuries sometimes nag until you actually have time to really allow them to heal in the offseason,” White said, suggesting that the rookie might not return in the near future.
Analysts question whether Clark’s season might already be over
Clark‘s prolonged absence has caught the attention of national analysts, including Rachel DeMita, who voiced concern over the handling of the situation on her Courtside Club show.
“They’re still listing her as day-to-day, but I don’t know why,” DeMita said. “I feel like it’s going to be a while before Caitlin Clark returns to the court. And I actually wonder what the strategy will be for bringing her back. If it gets to a point where the Fever aren’t making the playoffs, I could see them shutting her down for the rest of the season.”
This wouldn’t be the first time DeMita questioned the Fever’s injury transparency. Earlier this season, Clark missed five games with a groin issue that was also described as day-to-day. At the time, DeMita criticized the team for a lack of clarity about Clark‘s condition.
As of now, Clark remains sidelined with no official timetable for her return. She has already been ruled out for Indiana’s upcoming matchup against the Las Vegas Aces. Meanwhile, the team’s place in the standings is becoming more precarious. Sitting at seventh in the WNBA, the Fever are just barely above a cluster of teams that are quickly gaining ground.
Indiana’s record without Clark this season stands at 5-7, a sign that her presence on the court directly correlates with the team’s competitiveness. If the losses begin to pile up and playoff hopes start to dwindle, it becomes increasingly likely that Indiana might prioritize Clark‘s long-term health and development over rushing her back for a few regular-season games.
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