INDIANAPOLIS — Caitlin Clark, the Indiana Fever’s sharpshooting star, is slated to lace up Sunday at the University of Iowa’s Carver-Hawkeye Arena, facing the Brazil national team in a pre-season exhibition. The news comes after a left leg injury sidelined her for Saturday’s opener against the Washington Mystics, a nagging worry that had fans holding their breath.
Clark, the first-team All-WNBA guard and last season’s Rookie of the Year, felt a tweak of tightness in her left leg, enough to land her on the Fever’s injury report as questionable on May 2. The team opted for caution, giving her a rest day rather than risking their cornerstone player in a tune-up game. She was a vocal presence on the bench, though, barking encouragement and swapping pointers with teammates, a sign her spirit wasn’t dented.
Coach Stephanie White delivered the update everyone wanted on May 3. Clark’s progress over the last day—grueling workouts and all—has the team optimistic. The plan? She’ll go through her usual pregame warmups Sunday, and if her leg holds up, she’s good to go. No rush, no gamble. Just a calculated call for a player who powered through all 40 regular-season games and both playoff matchups in 2024 without a hitch.
Sunday’s game, set for a 4 p.m. tip-off, marks Clark’s return to Iowa City, where she carved her legend as a college phenom. The Fever, coming off a 92-76 rout of the Mystics despite Clark’s absence, leaned on Sophie Cunningham’s 21 points off the bench and a combined 25 from guards Kelsey Mitchell and Lexie Hull. Veteran Sydney Colson filled Clark’s spot in the starting lineup, with others shuffling to cover point guard duties.
The Fever aren’t saying much beyond the basics: Clark’s probable, the leg’s improving, and Iowa’s the stage. For a team banking on her playmaking and poise, getting her back on the court—especially on familiar turf—feels like a spark before the regular season grind kicks off.