Caitlin Clark, the dazzling Indiana Fever star and last season’s top rookie, remains cautious about her return from a quad injury despite the fans’ eagerness to see her back in action against the Chicago Sky this Saturday. Her team are struggling without her but the 23-year-old warns that she will not be rushing back.
The hoop sensation faced the press on Thursday for the first time since she was benched by a left quad strain incurred during a narrow defeat to the New York Liberty in May. Though her presence has been felt off the court – from cradling infants to showing up at Gainbridge Fieldhouse to support Pacers games – her statements about rejoining her teammates were frank and subdued.
“I feel like I’ve made a lot of progress and I feel good. But I’m not going to rush coming back. It’s just not worth it,” declared Clark, chilling the hopes of Fever fans clamouring for her swift rehabilitation.
With Clark absent, the Fever’s performance has faltered – they’re 1-2 thus far – including an initial loss to the Washington Mystics that stung all the more without their key player.
However, the team did manage to exact retribution on the Mystics in a subsequent match, thanks to Kelsey Mitchell’s stunning 24-point showcase, albeit suffering two consecutive defeats prior to that, one being handed down by the Connecticut Sun, once under the leadership of current Fever coach Stephanie White.
Despite missing her third game in a row, Clark continues to lead the Fever in scoring (19.0 points per game), assists (9.3), and steals (1.3).
Mitchell’s 17.4 PPG and Aliyah Boston’s scintillating MVP-worthy season have offered some stability, yet the shortcoming at point guard remains conspicuous. Sydney Colson has stepped into Clark’s shoes for three games, mustering an average of 2.5 points and 1.5 assists.
Initial murmurs suggested Clark would be absent for a minimum of two weeks during the WNBA campaign, but she hinted to journalists a possible comeback for the Fever’s June 10 clash with Atlanta Dream.
The Fever have evenly split victories with the Dream in their two encounters this term, setting the stage for a gripping prime-time bout at Gateway Center spotlighted by ESPN.
On the touchlines, Clark asserted her commitment to being a steadfast and encouraging figure for her squad.
“When you’re out there playing, and actually in the heat of the moment, you don’t always realize everything,” she disclosed. “You see things from a different perspective that maybe the coaching staff didn’t see.”
Focused on making an impact despite her absence from play, Clark disclosed her ambition to act as the linchpin between the coaching team and her colleagues.
The Fever are gearing up for a sky-high battle with the Sky on June 7th, their lone encounter before Clark potentially reappears against the Dream.
