Caitlin Clark Says She Won’t Return From Injury This Year

Caitlin Clark’s second WNBA season is over.

She made the announcement on social media Thursday night.

The 2024 Rookie of the Year said that after “spending hours in the gym,” she would not return for the Indiana Fever’s three final regular-season games or any potential playoff series.

In just 13 games, Clark averaged 16.5 points and 8.8 assists. 

“Disappointed isn’t a big enough word to describe how I am feeling,” Clark said. “I want to thank everyone who had my back through all the uncertainty. This has been incredibly frustrating, but even in the bad, there is good.”

Clark was sidelined multiple times this season with injuries. The most recent—a right groin injury—was suffered during the Fever’s 87–77 win over the Connecticut Sun on July 15. During her recovery process, Clark suffered a bone bruise that further delayed her return to the court.

With Clark and others missing much of the season due to injuries, the Fever sit at 21–20, eighth place in the WNBA. They lead the Los Angeles Sparks by a game and a half for the final playoff spot.

Clark had also missed time earlier this season with injuries to her left quad and left groin.

Earlier Thursday, Fever coach Stephanie White told the media that the team used its recent road trip to evaluate Clark’s path forward. She continued saying the team had plans to “sit down after practice today and hopefully have a direction soon.” 

White said Clark had participated in 5-on-0 drills and some shooting, but had not been able to get much contact. 

“Caitlin has worked so hard throughout this time, doing everything possible to recover and return to the court but, ultimately, time is not on our side,” Indiana Fever COO and GM Amber Cox said in a statement. “While we will continue working with Caitlin and provide her with every resource we have available, there is not enough time left in our season for her to safely return, and her long-term health and well-being remains our top priority.” 

The Fever’s 2025 campaign, which opened with title hype, quickly devolved into serious injury trouble. 

Guards Sydney Colson, Aari McDonald, and Sophie Cunningham all suffered season-ending injuries after the All-Star break. The Fever have had 18 players under contract total this season due to the number of players signed via hardship waivers and seven-day contracts. Earlier Thursday morning, forward Chloe Bibby—whom the team signed first to a seven-day and then to a rest-of-season contract—was ruled out for the remainder of the season due to a left knee injury. 

Despite the injuries, the Fever are among the four teams fighting to claim the last three spots in the playoffs. They had a 1.5 game advantage over the Sparks for the eighth and final spot before Thursday’s slate of games concluded. 

Big Business Implications

The Fever made the playoffs for the first time in seven seasons during Clark’s rookie campaign. They were swept by the Sun in the first round, but their two playoff games reached 1.8 million viewers and 2.5 million viewers—blockbuster numbers for the league. Last year’s WNBA Finals averaged 1.57 million viewers, with Game 5 hitting a record 2.4 million.

As of Aug. 20, the league had already broken its season attendance record despite Clark barely playing. 

WNBA viewership was also up 21% through 56 nationally broadcast games this season compared to the entire 2024 season, with ratings for the non-Fever games up 37% from last year as of the end of last month. 

The Fever are still the league’s biggest draw when Clark plays, and her absence from the playoffs is a big hit with an uncertain offseason looming. The collective bargaining agreement is scheduled to expire at the end of next month.

This season’s most-watched WNBA game was the opener between the Fever and Chicago Sky on May 17, which drew 2.7 million viewers on ABC. It would be the only Fever–Sky game Clark would play all year.

“I am so proud of how this team has only gotten stronger through adversity this year,” Clark said. “Now it’s time to close out the season and claim our spot in the playoffs.”