Mar 1, 2025; Knoxville, Tennessee, USA; ESPN analyst Dick Vitale before the game between the Tennessee Volunteers and the Alabama Crimson Tide at Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-Imagn Images Randy Sartin-Imagn Images

Dick Vitale Questions Indiana Fever Over Caitlin Clark Return Timeline

Originally posted on Women's Fastbreak on SI
By Grant Young | Last updated Aug 19, 2025 10:57 AM ET

When speaking with the media before the Indiana Fever's August 17 game against the Connecticut Sun, Fever head coach Stephanie White was asked if she thinks superstar guard Caitlin Clark (who has been injured for over a month and missed a majority of the Fever's games this season) will return before the end of the season.

"That's the hope," White responded. "That's the hope, is that she'll be back."

While one could say that White was optimistic, many Fever fans would have hoped for more certainty regarding Clark's eventual return. This is especially true given that Indiana is still in the thick of the WNBA playoff race, and many believe that Clark's return could be enough to turn this team back into contenders for a league championship, provided they can find their chemistry on the court once No. 22 returns.

Not to mention that despite there being no concrete updates on when Clark's return could arrive, all indications are that she's slated for a return sometime before the end of August. And her sitting out for the rest of this season has never really seemed like a realistic option, at least in the eyes of fans.

Dick Vitale Speaks For the People With Caitlin Clark Return Question

All of this is to say that there are more questions than answers regarding when the WNBA's most popular player will get back to hooping. One person who clearly has some questions is the legendary Dick Vitale, who has spent 41 years as one of ESPN's premier college basketball broadcasters and is one of the most universally adored members of sports media.

Vitale is a known Caitlin Clark fan. And his patience regarding her unclear return seems to be wearing thin, which was shown through an X post he made on August 18 that read, "What is the latest update on @CaitlinClark22 - @IndianaFever - Is there any chance she will be recovered from her groin injury & play in the last 9 games ?"

What is the latest update on @CaitlinClark22 - @IndianaFever - Is there any chance she will be recovered from her groin injury & play in the last 9 games ?
— Dick Vitale (@DickieV) August 18, 2025

The good news is that there certainly seems to be a chance she recovers from her groin injury and plays in the last nine (regular season) games, so we can answer that question for Vitale.

However, that doesn't mean Clark is guaranteed to do so. The good news is that a clearer update about Clark should be coming over the next couple of days, because she was supposed to be returning to practice at some point this week.

This article first appeared on Women's Fastbreak on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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