Caitlin Clark Returns To Shootaround, But Fever Still Silent On Injury Timeline
It's the first on-court activity for the Indiana Fever star, who has been out since July 15 with a groin injury.
Caitlin Clark was back on the court Sunday morning — kind of.
The Indiana Fever star participated in shootaround ahead of the team’s game against the league-leading Minnesota Lynx. It marked her first on-court activity with the team since she re-aggravated a groin injury on July 15 against the Connecticut Sun.
According to Indianapolis Star reporter Chloe Peterson, Clark went through warmups and non-contact drills with the second unit.
"She has not officially returned to practice, I’m told, but this [is] her first time working with the team since her injury," Peterson wrote on X.
It’s a small step forward for Clark, who has now missed 14 consecutive games. The Fever still haven’t offered a clear timetable for her return, and at this point, it’s unclear whether she’ll suit up again this season at all.
Clark’s injury has been a topic of growing frustration for both fans and the media. Since mid-July, the team has kept her status vague — repeatedly listing her as "out" on WNBA injury reports without elaboration. Meanwhile, rumors have circulated that she may be shut down for the rest of the year, though Fever teammate Sophie Cunningham recently dismissed that talk as "literally bulls*it" on her Show Me Something podcast.
"When you're an elite-level player, you not being able to play is the hardest part, mentally, physically, emotionally," Cunningham said. "It’s a legit day-by-day type of thing."
That’s consistent with what reporters saw Sunday. While Clark’s participation in shootaround is a welcome sign, it’s not a full return. Fever coach Stephanie White has yet to provide clarification.
Caitlin Clark returned to shootaround on Sunday for the first time in over a month.
(Jerome Miron-Imagn Images)
Earlier this month, Clark reportedly suffered a minor ankle bone bruise during a workout — yet another setback in a season that’s already included multiple soft tissue injuries. She’s now missed more than 20 games in her second WNBA season.
The timing couldn’t be worse. The Fever are in the thick of a playoff race despite a depleted roster that has lost three guards — Aari McDonald, Sydney Colson and most recently Sophie Cunningham — to season-ending injuries in the past month. Indiana needs all the help it can get.
Whether Caitlin Clark will be part of that final push is still anyone’s guess. But for the first time in a while, fans at least got to see her with a basketball in her hand.