Two weeks ago, Caitlin Clark was sidelined from her Indiana Fever team to rest a strained quadricep. The Fever said she would be out at least two weeks, and then re-evaluated. In the time she has been out of the lineup, the Fever have gone 2-2 in games, struggling to replace Clark’s offensive load and playmaking ability. Now, at the two-week mark since the injury was announced, fans may have been hopeful they would see Clark suit up for the Fever’s Tuesday game against the Atlanta Dream. It seems like they will have to wait a little longer.
At Fever practice this morning, Clark was top of mind as reporters gathered to speak with head coach Steph White. White did not give them the answer they may have been hoping for, confirming that Clark will not be playing against the Dream.
Caitlin Clark will not play tomorrow, Steph White says.
She’s not necessarily cleared for basketball activities, but ready to start “ramping back up.”
Sophie Cunningham was also limited in practice today.
— Chloe Peterson (@chloepeterson67) June 9, 2025
In the NBA and WNBA, players often need a little bit of time (a few days) after the injury itself has healed to recondition themselves after resting. With Clark, since she was resting her leg, she likely was not doing much by way of running, conditioning, or strength work, and will need time to gradually increase physical activity to prevent re-injury. Based on White’s comments here of her being ready to “ramp up” but not cleared for basketball, it seems that may be the case here.
The Dream game is the only game the Fever have this week before facing New York at home on Saturday, in what will be an important and marquee event for both teams. The Fever would love to not only have Clark back but also re-enter the championship contention conversation. For New York, their undefeated streak may be in jeopardy if the Fever have Clark back and are playing at their peak level.
Yet, before they get to that game, not having Clark to go against the Atlanta Dream is disappointing. The Dream (5-3) are in third place in the overall WNBA standings, right below the undefeated Liberty and Minnesota Lynx. Allisha Gray won the WNBA’s Eastern Player of the Month Award for May, and the team is 3-2 on the road this season. They have been finding a flow of both offence and defence under Karl Smesko as their coach, looking the best the team has in years. Not having Clark to offset the offense that will come from Gray, Rhyne Howard and Brittney Griner, among others on the Dream roster, will hurt them.
The Fever are 1-1 against the Dream so far this season, having lost the first game by 1 point despite a 27-point game from Clark. They played them again shortly after, this time Clark dishing out a game-high 6 assists to help her team win. They will miss both her high-volume scoring and passing ability in this third game, especially if Sophie Cunningham also remains out for Indiana.
So while White’s update on Clark was vague, it seems the Fever star is heading in the right direction. The fact that she is allowed to start ramping up again proves her condition is improving. Rushing it wouldn’t do anyone good, so taking the time to ensure she is healthy during what will be an important stretch now for the Fever is ideal.
Clark herself said last week that it’s “not worth” rushing back to play before her body is ready. She also confirmed that after the weekend passed, her injury status would be day-to-day, and that no one wants to put an exact date on her return. She said she was in some pain after the last game that she played against New York on May 24, which led to her getting an MRI and confirming that she had a strain in her muscle. Instead of focusing on the negatives of not playing, she has redirected that energy to her recovery and being a good teammate to the rest of the Fever roster.
Indiana is currently at 4-4 on their season, sitting in 7th place in the WNBA standings. They are at a 4.5 game balance difference from the Minnesota Lynx, who sit at the top of the league at 9-0 on their season. Bridging a 4.5 game balance difference isn’t too daunting at this stage of the season, but as the Lynx and Liberty just keep stacking wins, the Fever need to start making that number smaller if they are going to rise back up in the standings.
Ensuring Clark’s long-term health will be crucial to the Fever’s playoff goals this season, so fans will need to remain patient as they wait for Clark to re-enter the lineup.