Fever 'Hope' Caitlin Clark Returns from Injury in Regular Season Before WNBA Playoffs

Indiana Fever head coach Stephanie White said the team's "hope" is that star guard Caitlin Clark returns at some point in the regular season.

Clark hasn't played since an 85-77 win over the Connecticut Sun on July 15, and White was unable to provide a timetable Sunday for when she might be cleared to suit up again:

A series of soft tissue injuries has limited Clark to 13 appearances in 2025. A groin issue sidelined her in late June and she didn't look like herself once she came back in early July. She played in four games before the Fever announced she would be out again.

The reigning Rookie of the Year told WNBA legend Sue Bird on the Bird's Eye View podcast the stop-and-start nature of her season has been difficult.

"There's just so much to manage. And then obviously I feel like that's been a huge part of this year," she said. "It's just been so challenging being active and playing four games, and then not, and not feeling the best and then frustrated of like how hard I've worked in the offseason, and then all I do is rehab and continue to do this process, and just trying to trust that the best I can.

"Obviously, there's really frustrating days and there's days where it’s a little bit easier and you’re very, very motivated and you’re close to the finish line of getting back and being back. It's not like I have a training camp to build up to play in my first game again. It's like no, you're tossed into game 30 — like, 'Go try to play well.' Like it's hard, it really is."

The Fever are 18-16 and seventh in the WNBA standings. The Los Angeles Sparks are only 1.5 games back in ninth place, so missing the postseason entirely is at least a possibility.

Indiana has 10 games left on the schedule and its finale against the Minnesota Lynx is less than a month away (Sept. 9).

While the team is leaving open the possibility of Clark coming back, it's concerning she hasn't yet made a return to full practices. Even assuming she's on the floor by early September, she may not have enough time to shake off the rust and rediscover her shooting rhythm before the playoffs are here.