Caitlin Clark Plans to Return From Groin Injury for Fever-Valkyries, Missed 5 Games

Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark is expecting to return to the lineup for Wednesday's matchup against the Golden State Valkyries.

Clark hasn't suited up since Indiana's 94-86 win over the Seattle Storm on June 24. She said she hopes to play in the "upper 20s" in terms of her minutes threshold in her first game back:

Between her quad and groin injuries, the reigning Rookie of the Year has been limited to just nine appearances to open the 2025 WNBA season. She's averaging 18.2 points, 8.9 assists and 5.0 rebounds per game.

Thanks in part to missing its best player for half the year, Indiana has struggled to sustain any positive momentum. The team sits seventh in the standings at 9-9.

Beating the Minnesota Lynx in the final of the Commissioner's Cup sans Clark did at least point to how good the Fever can be once they're at full strength. They had five players score in double figures against the WNBA's best team.

Beyond the fact she's going to be playing again, Clark's comments about any minutes restriction were particularly encouraging. She's logging 33.3 minutes per contest, so her usage on Wednesday may not be much lower than it usually is.

Indiana has five games prior to the All-Star break later this month. That gives Clark some time to rediscover her rhythm before she and the Fever enter an important stretch of the campaign.