Fever's Caitlin Clark taking quad injury rehab ‘day by day,' could possibly return Tuesday vs. Dream

New York Times

a day ago

Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark said she could return as soon as Tuesday when Indiana plays the Atlanta Dream in its third Commissioner's Cup game.
Clark, who suffered a left quadriceps strain in Indiana's 90-88 loss to the New York Liberty on May 24, is still taking her rehab 'day by day,' and said 'we'll see' when asked about the potential of her playing early next week. Clark said she will be re-evaluated this weekend, and she will remain inactive for Indiana's matchup with the Chicago Sky on Saturday night.
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'After that, it's day by day and see how I feel and just kind of turn to the medical staff and see what they think,' Clark said. 'I feel like I've made a lot of progress, and I feel good. I'm not going to rush coming back. It's not worth it.'
If Clark were to miss Tuesday's game against the Dream, she would give herself a few extra days to recover ahead of a rematch against the Liberty on June 14.
Clark, who addressed her injury Thursday for the first time since missing games in her professional and college careers, said she sustained her quad injury early in the Liberty game, but she couldn't pinpoint a precise play when the injury occurred. Feeling pain after the game, Clark underwent an MRI, which revealed the extent of the injury.
Clark said she has learned 'a lot' while sitting on the bench during games.
'I've never been in that position of getting to watch from the bench for an extended period of time,' she said. 'I think you can learn the game of basketball the same amount. You turn on the TV and watch the NBA. Or you watch other WNBA games, that's the best way to learn basketball – just watch and absorb it. It's the same when I'm not active, too.'
Caitlin Clark speaks with the media and provides a status update after the team's practice on Thursday. pic.twitter.com/AYV4LXmFLA
— Indiana Fever (@IndianaFever) June 5, 2025
The Fever have gone 1-2 in Clark's absence, struggling in losses to the Washington Mystics, whom they've faced twice, and the Connecticut Sun. Without Clark, Indiana's offense has looked stagnant at times. The Fever are also allowing almost 10 more points per 100 possessions on defense.
Indiana coach Stephanie White inserted veteran guard Sydney Colson into the starting lineup in Clark's place, but Colson left last Friday's loss to the Sun due to injury and played only 16 minutes in the Fever's win over Washington.
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Clark's injury has lengthened her MVP odds and led to a decrease in wagers on the Fever's recent games. Fever television ratings have also dipped. However, their win on Friday night over the Sun still averaged more than 850,000 viewers on ION. It was the network's largest audience of the season and marked a 119 percent increase over the comparable window last year, according to SportsMediaWatch.
Clark's absence has also coincided with the start of the WNBA Commissioner's Cup, the league's annual in-season tournament. The Fever's victory over the Mystics came in their first Commissioner's Cup game, and Indiana's next four matchups — against the rest of the Eastern Conference — will all count toward the Commissioner's Cup standings as well as the regular-season standings.
In addition to Clark, the Fever are without wing Sophie Cunningham, who suffered a right ankle injury in Indiana's loss to the Sun. Without Cunningham and Clark, the Fever signed guard Aari McDonald to a hardship contract. In 27 minutes against Washington on Tuesday, McDonald scored seven points and recorded a team-high five assists.