Caitlin Clark Injury Update: No Timetable To Return, Fever Prioriti...
Caitlin Clark Injury Update: No Timetable To Return, Fever Prioritize Her Long-Term Health
Caitlin Clark Injury Update: No Timetable To Return, Fever Prioritize Her Long-Term Health
Caitlin Clark remains out and there’s no timetable for her return.
The Indiana Fever announced Thursday afternoon that Clark underwent evaluations this week and “no additional injuries or damage were discovered through the evaluations.”
Clark sustained the latest injury — to her right groin — on July 15 in a win over the Connecticut Sun at TD Garden in Boston. After making a bounce pass, she immediately reached for her right groin area.
She then went down to the opposite end of the floor and hit her head on the basket stanchion in frustration, then held back tears as she walked to the bench. It occurred in the final minute of the game.
“I think when the injury happened it was pretty frustrating considering I knew what the coming days were going to hold for myself,” she said at All-Star Weekend.
After spending All-Star Weekend with her peers, family and friends, Clark and the Fever have worked diligently to evaluate and address the injury. That included consultations with multiple doctors and thorough discussions around next steps.
“Clark will continue working with the Fever medical team on her recovery and rehabilitation, with the priority on her long-term health and well-being,” the team said in a statement before Thursday’s home game against the Las Vegas Aces.
This is all new for Clark, who started all 40 games last season and never missed time due to injury while at the University of Iowa.
“I think just it all comes back to having good perspective on everything,” Clark said at All-Star weekend. “Certainly there’s frustration and a little bit of sadness (to not be playing).”
This is the prudent approach — multiple consultations, a rehab gameplan, and taking the necessary time for her to heal and feel like herself again.
That’s also the advice of Liberty guard Sabrina Ionesecu, who shared over the weekend how she related to Clark’s current experience.
“The number one priority is to try and get back as healthy as you can and make sure you’re 100% before you start back up because games just kind of pile on,” she said. “And if you don’t feel great, it’ll come back and hurt you in the end.”
Clark, 23, dealt with a left groin strain during the first week of the season, followed by injuries to her left — and now right — groin.
Now in the second half of the season, the Fever (12-12) are seventh in the WNBA standings — just behind the Aces (12-11).
In the meantime, guard Aari McDonald has moved into the starting lineup. All-Star guard Kelsey Mitchell is averaging a career-high 19.5 points on 46.8% shooting. And over the last 10 games, she’s averaged 21.8 points per game while shooting 51.3% — including 42.4% from range.
Scott Agness is in his 13th season as a beat writer covering the Indiana Pacers. Click here to read more of his work at FieldhouseFiles.com.
