Caitlin Clark said the biggest issue in her return from injury is not only physical discomfort, but the mental strain that comes with trusting her body again. The Indiana Fever guard missed Wednesday’s game because of back soreness, and she described the decision as one driven by how confident she felt in her own movement and recovery.
Clark said the challenge is shaped by the injuries that limited her to 13 games last season, along with the soft-tissue issues she has dealt with more recently. “Coming back from injury and having however many soft tissue injuries [in 2025] is a real mental challenge,” she said before returning against the Golden State Valkyries.
Confidence has become part of the equation
Clark explained that outside expectations do not always match the reality of recovery, especially early in a season. She said players and fans may assume confidence should stay constant, but that is not how rehab and return-to-play decisions always work.
“These are the best players in the world, and if I don’t feel 100% confident in my body on Game 5 of the year, I don’t know if that’s really worth it in that scenario,” Clark said. Her approach suggests that she is trying to balance short-term availability with the longer view of staying healthy across the full schedule.
How the decision unfolded
Before Wednesday’s game, Clark said she had treatment the day before, which was normal for her, and planned as if she would play. She then woke up sore, did physical therapy at home, completed a pregame workout and lift at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, and ultimately decided not to suit up.
The WNBA later warned the Fever after Clark did not appear on the injury report until 100 minutes before tipoff, according to ESPN’s report on Thursday. Fever coach Stephanie White questioned the criticism, saying the team “did things the right way.”
Clark also pushed back on the public reaction, including online speculation about when she decided not to play. She said her mother found out at 4:47, while the public learned roughly 40 minutes later, underscoring how quickly the situation became a topic of outside debate.
The physical side is only part of it
Clark returned Friday and played 32 minutes in Indiana’s 90-82 win over Golden State, finishing with 22 points and nine assists. After the game, she said the test is often not just how she feels during action, but how her body responds the next day.
She pointed out that playing with the U.S. national team this offseason was different from handling a full WNBA workload. “I didn’t play 32 minutes, super physical,” Clark said, adding that recovery now means paying close attention to how she feels after the game rather than only during it.
Clark said she believes she is putting herself in the best possible position to handle the season, but she also acknowledged the emotional side of returning from repeated setbacks. “I think there’s moments where maybe I get in my head a little bit,” she said, adding that she needs grace and believes others should give her some too.
The Fever now have six days before their next game, a rematch against the Valkyries in San Francisco, giving Clark more time to manage her back soreness and continue focusing on recovery.
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