Caitlin Clark will miss Saturday’s game against the Los Angeles Sparks as she recovers from a back injury suffered against Phoenix on Wednesday. Indiana coach Stephanie White said Clark is expected to be sidelined while the team gets her healthy for a stretch
Caitlin Clark’s status for Saturday’s game against the Los Angeles Sparks was decided before Indiana even left Friday morning: the star guard will miss the matchup while she recovers from a back injury she suffered against Phoenix on Wednesday.
Indiana coach Stephanie White said Friday morning that Clark would not play. Indiana then does not play again after Saturday until it visits the Las Vegas Aces on July 5, giving the team a rare window to focus entirely on her treatment.
“She’s OK. She’s going to be out on Saturday. She’s doing all right,” White said. “Obviously, it’s a good time as we have all week next week. Take this opportunity to get her treatment, get her healthy and get her back on the floor and see what happens.”
The timing matters because Clark has already dealt with a heavy injury load. Last season, she only played in 13 games due to a variety of injuries. This season, she has missed one game because of the back injury.
Even with the concern around her health, Clark’s production this season has remained strong. She is tied for fourth in the league with 21.2 points per game, and she scored 19 points in 20 minutes against Phoenix on Wednesday.
White framed the decision around more than the immediate schedule. “Long-term health and wellness is the most important thing,” she said. “I think we want her to be healthy physically, mentally, emotionally. When you’ve gone through injury and the traumatic aspect of injury that she had last year. it’s ups and downs physically. mentally and emotionally. Making sure that she’s 100 per cent ready to go is the most important thing.”.
There is another complication from the same Phoenix game. Clark was also hit in the throat Wednesday by Phoenix’s Alyssa Thomas. No foul was called on the play, but the Mercury forward was suspended by the league for a game on Thursday.
Off the court, Clark’s name continues to move through the WNBA season as well. She is currently second in all-star fan voting released Wednesday behind teammate Aliyah Boston. The All-Star Game is July 25 in Chicago.
Caitlin Clark Indiana Fever Los Angeles Sparks back injury Stephanie White WNBA Alyssa Thomas Phoenix Mercury Aliyah Boston All-Star Game
So she just… can’t play? I mean her back is serious or what?
Back injury against Phoenix then no Sparks game, ok. But why was she getting hit in the throat like that and nobody calls it? WNBA refs are wild.
Wait she got hit in the throat and still played minutes?? They say no foul but then Mercury player gets suspended? That feels like backwards math. Also I thought Clark only missed games because of her “traumatic” stuff last year lol.
I don’t buy it, she’ll probably be back before July 5 anyway. They always say “long-term wellness” but it’s really just managing her stats and marketing for the All-Star. Plus she already scored 19 in like 20 minutes so a back injury shouldn’t just sideline her that quick right?