Aug 7, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Indiana Fever injured guard Caitlin Clark (right) with head coach Stephanie White against the Phoenix Mercury during an WNBA game at PHX Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Fever Coach Remains Noncommittal on Caitlin Clark Injury Return This Season

Originally posted on Indiana Fever on SI | By Grant Young | Last updated Sep 2, 2025 3:39 PM ET

The Indiana Fever are facing the Phoenix Mercury without their best player, as Caitlin Clark is inactive for the game because she's still on the mend from a groin injury she suffered about seven weeks ago.

Of course, the Fever are used to competing without Clark on the court, as she has only played a total of 13 games this season because of several soft tissue injuries she has had to deal with.

One week ago, Fever head coach Stephanie White made it clear that she wanted to see Clark be able to handle full contact during multiple of her team's practices before declaring that she'd be ready to return to the court.

After about a week or no further updates, a video of Clark participating in a Fever full-court 5-on-0 on Tuesday morning sparked a ton of optimism from fans about the fact that No. 22 is progressing well in her recovery and could be making her return as early as this Friday's home game against the Chicago Sky.

Caitlin Clark is running with the Fever backups in their full-court 5-on-0 this morning: pic.twitter.com/2Wfk4WZSDV
— Chloe Peterson (@chloepeterson67) September 2, 2025

Stephanie White Speaks on Caitlin Clark Potential Fever Injury Return

Of course, the fact that the drill was a 5-on-0 makes it clear that Clark was facing no opposition, and therefore wasn't playing against any contact.

Fever fans seemed to overlook this when the video was released. However, in hindsight, this perhaps should have suggested the eventual update wasn't going to be as good as Clark's return being imminent. Stephanie White spoke to this when addressing the media after Tuesday's practice.

When White was asked whether Clark has been able to do contact practices over the past week, she said, "No. She has just been doing mostly shooting, shooting and individual stuff, yeah," per an X post from Chloe Peterson of IndyStar.

Peterson then asked whether the hope is that Clark will be returning at some point in the regular season.

"I mean, that's the hope. She's working as hard as she can to make sure that she is coming back, or is capable of coming back. Again, I think that the long-term viewpoint of her health and wellness is the most important thing," White answered.

Caitlin Clark has not done any practices with contact, Steph White said.

On if she’s coming back in the regular season: “That's the hope … I think that the long term viewpoint of her health and wellness is the most important thing."https://t.co/jax7bAL3Vx pic.twitter.com/R1PNAz7TQC
— Chloe Peterson (@chloepeterson67) September 2, 2025

This is essentially the same thing that White has been saying all along regarding her star player (and the face of the WNBA).

Therefore, this update is sure to be frustrating for the fans who had gotten their hopes up after seeing Clark taking part in a Fever practice drill a short time before White's comments.

This article first appeared on Indiana Fever on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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