'We Connect A Lot Through Basketball': Caitlin Clark Missed As Tyrese Haliburton Admits He Wishes Fever Star Was Playing During Injury Rehab

“We lift at the same time, so it’s just us two in the weight room, and we spend a lot of time together,” Haliburton said. “I guess it’s a good thing, but I wish she was playing. Still, it’s good to have each other to lean on in a time like this.”

The Pacers star also admitted that he and Clark have grown closer as friends, even beyond their similarities as basketball players for Indiana-based teams.

“It’s been important just to have somebody to lean on and talk to,” Haliburton told Wish TV on Saturday. “I think we’ve grown the relationship to where we can talk about more than just basketball. Obviously, we connect a lot through basketball. We get guarded the same sometimes. Our offensive issues, our defensive issues. They’re similar.”

Tyrese Haliburton himself is not a stranger when it comes to injury recovery. At the start of the first quarter of Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals, he sustained a torn Achilles tendon after he collapsed to the ground because of chasing down a loose ball. When the non-contact injury occurred, a hush filled Paycom Center as he grabbed his right leg while receiving immediate treatment from trainers.

Caitlin Clark Still Out of The Game, But Participates Drills

Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark rejoined the team on the court after her first appearance since mid-July by participating in non-contact drills during Sunday’s shootaround, prior to Indiana’s game against the Minnesota Lynx.

Clark completed dynamic warmups and light skill work with the second unit but ultimately did not participate in the game since she continues to remain out with a right groin injury, having already been ruled out for the game.

Head coach Stephanie White delineated a multi-phased methodology in Clark’s recovery: initially advancing through rehabilitation, subsequently reincorporating strength and conditioning components, and ultimately facilitating Clark’s gradual re-engagement in basketball activities.

Caitlin Clark’s sophomore campaign has been derailed by a series of soft-tissue injuries that have limited her to just 13 games, including a left quad strain in May and a left groin issue in July that forced her out during the Fever’s Commissioner’s Cup title run and All-Star festivities in Indianapolis.