The Indiana Fever will compete against the Phoenix Mercury on Thursday without their leading player, Caitlin Clark, who continues to recover from a re-aggravated groin injury. Now sidelined for her ninth consecutive game, Clark’s timeline for returning to the court remains uncertain, prolonging concerns about the team’s ability to regain momentum following their recent five-game winning streak ending with a loss to the Los Angeles Sparks.
Current Rehabilitation Status Shows Some Progress but No Practice Participation
According to Fever reporter Chloe Peterson, although Clark has resumed running at full speed, she has yet to rejoin team practices. The Fever did not conduct an official practice on Wednesday or a shootaround Thursday morning, and Clark was only briefly present at Tuesday’s shootaround before departing to focus on individual rehab work with a trainer.
She’s been running up and down full speed,
Peterson said on Thursday.
As far as I know, she hasn’t come back to practice yet.
—Chloe Peterson, Fever Reporter
She’s participating in the halfcourt contests before each game, it seems like, but it doesn’t look like she’s doing any drills with the team as of yet.
—Chloe Peterson, Fever Reporter
Coach and Insider Observations Highlight Slow but Steady Progress
Head coach Stephanie White confirmed earlier in the week that Clark has started full-court running, marking a positive development in her rehabilitation journey. Nevertheless, the fact that the 23-year-old guard has now missed over three weeks of team activities remains a source of concern as the Fever approach critical games during this stretch of their schedule.
Insider Ken Swift noted Clark’s current regimen involves sprints, which align with her known enthusiasm for speed work, but clarified that full practice sessions still have not resumed. He also suggested that fans should expect a gradual reintegration, likely seeing Clark participate with the team for at least a week prior to her official game return.
Caitlin isn’t practicing with the team yet. Sounds like she’s doing sprints, because she loves sprinting, but I’m guessing we will see her rollout with the team at least for a week before she returns. Waiting game.
—Ken Swift, Insider
Future Outlook: Gradual Return Expected as Recovery Continues
Clark’s absence underscores the challenge for the Fever in maintaining competitive form without their cornerstone superstar. While running at full speed is encouraging, the focus remains on her transition from individual recovery to full team practice, a necessary step before any game action can resume. The timeline for her return is still open-ended, leaving both the player and the franchise in a cautious holding pattern as they await further recovery milestones.