Caitlin Clark still not authorized for contact practices
With only a week left in the regular season, Caitlin Clark, the standout player for the Indiana Fever, has still not been cleared to participate in contact drills during practice. However, the second-year guard did participate in a 5-on-0 full-court workout during warmups in Phoenix on Tuesday morning.
Fever coach Stephanie White informed the media that Clark has been limited to shooting drills and individual work. Clark, who was named Rookie of the Year in 2024, has been out of action since June 15 due to a right groin injury. Tuesday’s game against the Phoenix Mercury marked the 19th consecutive game she has missed. This season, she has only been able to play in 13 games due to various injuries to her left quadriceps, left groin, and right groin. On August 7, he suffered a bone contusion in his left ankle. A team spokesperson stated that it is “impossible to say” if Clark’s return date was affected by the bone contusion, as there was never a planned return date.White also commented that he needs Clark to participate in multiple practices before he is cleared to play in games. He then clarified that, due to the limited time, these practices could include only 3-on-3 or 4-on-4 work. Since the on-court work Clark did on Tuesday was non-contact, it doesn’t seem likely that this will count towards the number of practice sessions needed for him to return to action. After Tuesday’s game in Phoenix, the Fever have only three games left in the regular season: hosting the Chicago Sky on Friday, visiting the Washington Mystics on Sunday, and hosting the Minnesota Lynx on September 9. Indiana currently holds the seventh spot in the standings, ahead of the Seattle Storm in eighth and half a game behind the Golden State Valkyries in sixth.The hope is that she returns. She is working as hard as she can to make sure she is coming back or is able to come back. I think the long-term perspective of her health and well-being is the most important.
Stephanie White
