Caitlin Clark could return this season; Fever coach gives key injury update ahead of Sparks game

Caitlin Clark's chances of making a comeback for the Indiana Fever were boosted when Stephanie White and co beat the Seattle Storm on Tuesday.

Published on: Aug 28, 2025, 08:09:49 IST

By Yash Nitish Bajaj

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Caitlin Clark's chances of making a comeback for the Indiana Fever were boosted when Stephanie White and co beat the Seattle Storm on Tuesday. With the victory, the Fever dropped a key competitor in the playoff race. The Los Angeles Sparks also lost, taking Indiana from 8th to 6th seed. The team now has a realistic shot at the postseason.

Caitlin Clark #22 of the Indiana Fever reacts on the bench in the first quarter against the Seattle Storm (Getty Images via AFP)

Clark, who has not played or practiced since July 15, participated in Indiana’s pregame shootaround Sunday at Minnesota. Coach Stephanie White seemed optimistic about her injury status after practice on Tuesday.

“She went through it yesterday,” White told reporters. “I want to see her in practice. Live in practice. I want to see her continue to work to not just build endurance, but to be able to handle contact (for) 94 feet as it’s going to be in-game, and to be able to do that and sustain from an endurance standpoint.”

The 23-year-old star guard would need many such practice sessions to return to action. She has already missed 24 games this year with muscle injuries, including the last 15 with a strained right groin. In 13 games, Clark is averaging 16.5 points, 8.8 assists and 5.0 rebounds.

The Indiana Fever now play the Los Angeles Sparks on Friday. While Clark is likely to miss the game, she could be ready by the playoffs.

‘Don’t play Caitlin'

Former WNBA star Lisa Leslie advised the Fever to resist the urge to play Caitlin Clark the rest of the 2025 season.

"She could provide an amazing boost, but again, I'm just gonna put my coach's hat on, my GM hat on. You want to see Caitlin Clark for the longevity of her career," Leslie said on CBS Sports. “I'm just thinking, me personally, I would not put Caitlin Clark back on the floor this season.”

Leslie said she's all too familiar with Clark's injury.

"That deep groin injury is nothing to play around with," she said. "It can feel like you've never had it, you make one move, one cut -- boom -- she's back in the same spot. I don't know that it's worth risking it. If they get the eighth spot and you get into the playoffs, is it really worth looking at Minnesota in Round 1? I don't know. That's just my opinion."

(With AFP inputs)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yash Nitish Bajaj
Yash Bajaj is a Chief Content Producer with a strong foundation in US coverage, digital strategy, and audience-focused storytelling. As part of the US Desk at Hindustan Times, he covers a wide range of topics - from American politics to sports (NFL, NBA, derbies, MLB and more). Before joining Hindustan Times, Yash served as Deputy News Editor at Times Now, where he oversaw international coverage and led a team of six. In this role, he significantly expanded global traffic through strategic planning, SEO-driven content execution, and meticulous trend tracking across platforms. He is experienced in managing high-pressure breaking-news shifts, coordinating live coverage, and building newsroom systems that improve speed, accuracy, and reach. Prior to Times Now, Yash held a position at Opoyi, where he headed the Sports and US news team. He developed broad editorial strategies, guided reporters across multiple beats, and played a key role in recruiting and training new talent. His responsibilities also extended to social media management and experimenting with innovative content formats. A passionate NFL fan, Yash is a die-hard supporter of the Cincinnati Bengals and has followed Joe Burrow closely since his college days at LSU. Whether breaking down top players' latest performance, analyzing team performances, or tracking roster moves, he brings the same dedication and sharp storytelling to his sports coverage as he does to American politics and breaking news. When he’s not writing, Yash can often be found watching games or debating the latest NFL storylines with fellow fans. Yash holds a Bachelor of Mass Media (Journalism) from HR College, Mumbai University. His interests extend well beyond the newsroom: he is an enthusiastic explorer of AI tools, a movie buff with an ever-growing watchlist, and someone who enjoys unraveling conspiracy theories for fun.Read More

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