Caitlin Clark Sits Out Fever Game After 24.3-Point Start as Back Stiffness Flares
Updated
Updated · ESPN · May 20
Caitlin Clark Sits Out Fever Game After 24.3-Point Start as Back Stiffness Flares
11 articles · Updated · ESPN · May 20
Wednesday’s absence made Caitlin Clark a late scratch against Portland after she woke up with back stiffness and soreness, with coach Stephanie White saying Indiana did not want to “take a chance.”
Tuesday’s missed practice foreshadowed the decision: Clark received treatment and worked out after practice, and White said the move was not load management but a precaution based on how Clark felt.
The back issue had already surfaced in Indiana’s opener, when Clark twice went to the tunnel for adjustments before returning; she later said her back can get “out of line pretty quickly.”
Clark had opened 2025 averaging 24.3 points, 9.0 assists and 5.0 rebounds through 4 games, including back-to-back 20-point, 10-assist outings.
The caution comes after an injury-hit 2024 season in which the 2024 No. 1 pick and Rookie of the Year played only 13 games and missed the entire second half.
Is Caitlin Clark's latest injury a sign of a chronic problem that could derail her promising WNBA career?
Beyond physical health, is the mental toll of recurring injuries now the biggest hurdle for the WNBA superstar?