On Thursday, Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark addressed the media for the first time after missing the last three games due to injury.
Photo Credit: Jineen Williams | Ballislife
Caitlin Clark Reveals Timeline for Return
Clark discussed her recovery from the quad strain she sustained during the Fever’s loss to the reigning WNBA Champions, the New York Liberty, nearly two weeks ago at the shootaround.
CC offering encouragement during the portion of drills open to media.
She hasn’t returned to five-on-five practice yet, but talk to the media today following practice. pic.twitter.com/LOW7Pkub5G
— Chloe Peterson (@chloepeterson67) June 5, 2025
“Obviously, adrenaline covers up a lot of stuff when you’re in the heat of battle,” Clark said to the media Thursday. |And after the game, I had some pain, and then we got an MRI, and that kind of gave me the result that I didn’t want to see. But, you know, those types of things don’t lie.”
Clark was observed encouraging her Fever teammates during the shootaround; however, she has not yet resumed five-on-five practice on the court. She confirmed that she will not participate in Indiana’s game against the Chicago Sky this Saturday but anticipates returning to the lineup on Tuesday when the team faces the Atlanta Dream on the road.
Clark feels that she does not want to be rushed back onto the court, especially since she has made progress in her recovery.
“I feel like I’ve made a lot of progress, and I feel good, and not gonna rush coming back. It’s just not worth it,” Clark said.
This is the first time Clark has missed multiple games due to injury since her sophomore year of high school. Additionally, she revealed that she has gained more patience due to missing time on the court.
“I love practice. I love getting better,” Clark said. “I think that’s just kind of been the time for me to, like, really find some patience. And I’ve never been a patient person my entire life, so this is definitely testing me a little bit. But I think it’s gonna be really good for me. I just tried to approach it in the best way I possibly can. I can’t change it, but yeah, I think my patience has definitely grown a lot.”
How Caitlin Clark’s Return Impacts the Indiana Fever
Over the last three games, the Fever went 1-2 without Clark in the lineup, losing by single digits to the Washington Mystics and the Connecticut Sun last week. Indiana also ended its losing streak with a win over the Mystics at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Tuesday, thanks to Kelsey Mitchell’s 24-point performance and Aliyah Boston’s perfect shooting night (5-5 FG).
pregame shenanigans with Caitlin Clark 😅 pic.twitter.com/emb6GKB6ca
— Indiana Fever (@IndianaFever) June 4, 2025
Aari McDonald’s impact on the Fever
The team were in desperate need of a backup point guard after losing guards Syd Colson and Sophie Cunningham to injuries in Friday’s loss to the Sun. As a result, Indiana signed guard Aari McDonald on Monday to a hardship contract, and her contributions off the bench were incredible.
In 27 minutes, McDonald prodcued seven points, five assists and three steals off the bench. She spent the last season with the Los Angeles Sparks after spending the first three seasons of her career with the Atlanta Dream.
Indiana Fever head coach Stephanie White is pleased with McDonald’s impact, aggression, and how she set the tone on Tuesday after the team’s win over the Washington Mystics.
“I could tell before her first practice, she definitely watched some film,” Caitlin Clark said of McDonald. “She knew exactly what we were doing on offense (and) defense. But also that just speaks to her time in the league and understanding how you play in this league. She’s competitive, she’s aggressive (and) physical.”
“She’s guarded me when she was on the LA Sparks last year. She just brings a different energy and tenacity, and that’s something we really needed. She got us into our offense well. So, I’m just really impressed with her. I thought she did a tremendous job.”
How Clark’s Absence Impacts the Fever’s Leadership
The Fever has missed Caitlin Clark’s leadership since the team announced that she would miss two weeks due to the quad strain. But, Clark made her presence known on the bench by giving her teammates some advice throughout the games for Indiana.
The Indiana Fever has one of the most efficient offenses across the league—ranking third in the league in points per game with 85.3 and field goal percentage with 46.2. Indiana is also ranked fourth in the league in offensive rating at 104.4 and third in NET rating with 7.3.
Early in the season, Clark remains among the top contenders for the league’s Most Valuable Player award. She broke various records in her rookie season, including the most assists in a single season. In addition, Clark shattered Seimone Augustus’ rookie scoring record, and was named the 2024 WNBA Rookie of the Year award and All-WNBA First Team.
Once Clark returns to the Fever, she will continue to build confidence on the court and aim to maintain her long-term health. Through four games, she is averaging 19.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 9.3 assists per game for Indiana.
“They’ve been really resilient,” Clark said.” It’s hard when your point guard goes out that controls a lot of the game, and had to step into positions that maybe they haven’t had. … I thought we played a really great game. Our last game (against the) mystics. I thought we were really good (and) started to flow a little bit better on offense. We played with a little more pace.”
The Indiana Fever (3-4) will next face the Chicago Sky (2-4) on Saturday, June 7.
