Why Caitlin Clark did not play vs Mystics and will she be available vs Atlanta Dream next week

Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark missed the high-intensity WNBA preseason game vs the Washington Mystics on Saturday

Updated on: May 3, 2025, 23:37:49 IST

By Yash Nitish Bajaj

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Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark missed the high-intensity WNBA preseason game vs the Washington Mystics on Saturday, putting her team is a massive disadvantage. With about five minutes left in the first half, the Mystics led the hosts 33-21 at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark missed the game vs Washington Mystics on Saturday (AP)

Why did Caitlin Clark miss the game vs the Washington Mystics

Ahead of Saturday's game, Fever announced that Clark was out due to a left leg injury. The 23-year-old was initially listed as questionable on the injury report.

Clark described the issue as ‘just a little tightness’, and reports indicated she participated in practice earlier that week, suggesting the decision to sit her out was likely precautionary, especially given the game was in the preseason and the team had a scheduled back-to-back, including a high-profile game the next day against the Brazilian National Team in Iowa.

It seems like Indiana's management may have prioritized her long-term health over playing her in an exhibition match.

There’s no definitive evidence of any other underlying reason beyond the reported injury and precautionary rest.

Just before the game, Clark addressed the confusion, saying, “Just a little tightness. I’ll go through all our warmups and everything — and then they’ll decide if I’m good to go or not.”

Fever Head Coach Stephanie White said, “We got to look at the long term. We gotta make sure that we're not putting Caitlin [Clark] at risk for injury. We are thinking short term, not long term. It's a long season.”

Will Caitlyn Clark be available vs the Atlanta Dream next week?

Clark has been listed as questionable for the away game against the Atlanta Dream next week, on May 10. However, it is likely that the 23-year-old will make her first pre-season appearance this season against Atlanta.

Caitlyn Clark led the WNBA last season in assists per game (8.4) and scored 19.2 points per contest.

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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