After five games on the sidelines, WNBA superstar Caitlin Clark has been freed from her de facto “assistant coach” role. Friday afternoon, the Indiana Fever announced that Clark has been cleared to play in Saturday’s game against the undefeated New York Liberty.
she’s back
Caitlin Clark is ready to play tomorrow against New York. pic.twitter.com/tOfuyfF99M
— Indiana Fever (@IndianaFever) June 13, 2025
How did Caitlin Clark get injured?
The Fever announced on May 26 thatClark would be out for at least two weeks with a strained left quadriceps muscle. The reigning WNBA Rookie of the Year has gotten off to a good start to her second season, averaging 19.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 9.3 assists, 1.3 steals, 1.0 blocks and 2.8 three-pointers in 34.9 minutes.
The exact timing of Clark’s injury is unknown. She dealt with a left leg injury during the preseason, sitting out Indiana’s May 3 opener against the Washington Mystics. However, that was the first of two games in as many days for the Fever, who face Brazil’s national team in Iowa City the following day. Clark was on the floor for her “homecoming,” playing 19 minutes and finishing with 16 points, six rebounds, five assists, one blocked shot and four three-pointers in the blowout victory. Clark also played 23 minutes in Indiana’s preseason finale against the Atlanta Dream on May 10.
Fever coach Stephanie White said during her availability on May 27 that this injury is not related to the leg issue that Clark dealt with during the preseason. Clark played 38 minutes in Indiana’s two-point loss to the Liberty on May 24 and would then undergo an MRI on her quad. The strain would be discovered then, sidelining the point guard for at least two weeks.
How many games did Caitlin Clark miss?
While the initial timeline announced by the Fever meant Clark would miss a minimum of four games, she would miss five. The fifth was Indiana’s 77-58 loss to Atlanta on June 10, dropping the Fever to 4-5 overall and 2-1 in Commissioner’s Cup competition. The good news for Indiana is that it is still in second place in the East in the cup competition, with New York boasting a 3-0 record ahead of Saturday’s matchup.
While New York (+75) would still hold a decided advantage over the Fever (+17) in the point differential category, an Indiana victory would tighten up the race for the top spot in the East.
Who filled in for Caitlin Clark?
When Clark was injured, Fever coach Stephanie White moved veteran guard Sydney Colson into the starting lineup. In the five games she started, Colson averaged 4.0 points and 2.4 assists in 21.4 minutes. Also, she was injured during Indiana’s May 30 loss to Connecticut, but did not miss any time beyond the remainder of that contest.
Alsosuffering an injury during Clark’s absence was reserve guard Sophie Cunningham, who sprained her right ankle for the second time this season during the aforementioned loss to the Sun. Clark has not appeared in a game since. However, she will be available for Saturday’s game against New York.
The player who benefited the most from Clark’s injury was Aari McDonald, who was signed on a hardship exemption on June 1. In three appearances, the 2021 first-round pick averaged 11.0 points, 3.0 assists, 2.0 steals and 2.0 three-pointers in 25.3 minutes, shooting 42.9 percent from the field and 69.2 percent from the foul line.
Indiana won two of the three games McDonald played in, with the lone defeat being Tuesday’s loss to Atlanta. Clark’s return moved Indiana back to 10 game-eligible players, meaning that McDonald had to be released in a corresponding move. Her brief stint with the Fever may be enough to get McDonald a look from another WNBA team soon.
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