Caitlin Clark Looks to Bounce Back After Injury-Plagued Season

The Indiana Fever star is ready to return to the court after missing most of 2025 with a groin injury.

Apr. 20, 2026 at 7:12am

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting a basketball player in motion, with sharp, overlapping planes of color representing the Indiana Fever's official team palette.Caitlin Clark's return to the Indiana Fever court will be a welcome sight after her injury-plagued 2025 season.Indianapolis Today

INDIANAPOLIS -- Caitlin Clark, the NCAA Division I career scoring leader, is ready to make her return to the Indiana Fever after missing most of the 2025 WNBA season due to a season-ending groin injury. Clark, who served as an inspirational coach for the Fever during their playoff run last year, is now 100% healthy and ready to get back on the court, though the team plans to take a cautious approach with her during training camp.

Why it matters

Clark's return is a major boost for the Fever, who came within one win of reaching the WNBA Finals last season despite a rash of injuries. As one of the league's biggest stars, Clark's health and production will be crucial to the Fever's chances of contending for a championship in 2026.

The details

Clark missed 13 games last season after suffering a right groin injury just before the All-Star break. She embraced her role as an inspirational coach on the sidelines, but never fully recovered in time to contribute on the court. Now healthy, Clark is eager to get back to doing what she loves - competing and leading her team.

  • Clark suffered the season-ending groin injury just before the 2025 WNBA All-Star break.
  • The Fever made a playoff run in 2025 despite Clark's absence, coming one win short of the WNBA Finals.

The players

Caitlin Clark

The NCAA Division I career scoring leader, who plays for the Indiana Fever in the WNBA.

Stephanie White

The head coach of the Indiana Fever.

Kelsey Mitchell

An All-Star teammate of Caitlin Clark on the Indiana Fever.

Aliyah Boston

An All-Star teammate of Caitlin Clark on the Indiana Fever.

Angel Reese

A rival of Caitlin Clark who was recently traded to the Atlanta Dream.

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What they’re saying

“It's hard, it's very isolating to come to practice every single day and spend two hours getting treatment and rehab and then you come out here and you have to show up and be the best teammate you can be. I think that taught me a lot about what I can do if I'm not on the court, and I got to be their biggest fan.”

— Caitlin Clark, Indiana Fever Player

“The biggest thing is just making sure we're mindful it's Day 1. It's not like she has to go out there and go through everything. I think with her, Kelsey (Mitchell), with AB (Aliyah Boston), just being mindful of getting them in and out, and we need to get other people integrated anyway, so I think it will give us a good opportunity to do that.”

— Stephanie White, Indiana Fever Head Coach

What’s next

The Fever will continue to monitor Caitlin Clark's progress and take a cautious approach during training camp to ensure she is fully healthy and ready for the start of the 2026 WNBA season.

The takeaway

Caitlin Clark's return to the Indiana Fever is a major boost for the team as they look to build on their playoff run from last season. However, keeping their star player healthy will be crucial, as Clark missed most of 2025 due to a groin injury. The Fever will need to balance getting Clark back up to speed while also protecting her from further injury.