Caitlin Clark Likely to Return in Boost for ESPN, WNBA

Caitlin Clark is set to return after a five-game absence from a quad injury. 

Fever coach Stephanie White told reporters on Friday that Clark is likely to play in the team’s game Saturday against the Liberty, barring any last-minute setbacks. The 23-year-old sensation played all 40 Fever regular-season games last year and never missed a game at Iowa.

The game will broadcast on ABC at 3 p.m. Eastern, less than 24 hours after Game 3 of the Thunder–Pacers NBA Finals, in what is shaping up to be a massive hoops weekend in Indianapolis. Clark was a regular courtside for Pacers games during her hiatus.

Clark last played on May 24—also against the Liberty, maybe the league’s biggest team draw.

Fever viewership dipped 40% in the two games the team has played on NBA TV without her, while Saturday’s game against the Sky was down 30% from their previous May 17 matchup. Despite her absence, the game still drew 1.92 million viewers, which was the third-most-watched WNBA game of the season—and the third-most-watched game on CBS ever.

Clark’s last game before the injury drew 2.22 million viewers, which was the second-most watched WNBA game since she was drafted that wasn’t against Chicago and her rival Angel Reese. 

The injury timing was fortuitous for Disney’s ABC and ESPN. The network didn’t air any Fever games while she was out, and is set to get the first game of her return.