One strange aspect of the Indiana Fever's current roster construction is that guards Caitlin Clark and Aari McDonald still have not been on the court at the same time during a game. This is because the Fever initially signed McDonald to an emergency hardship contract when Clark suffered a quad strain earlier this year, then had to release her once Clark was cleared to play.
Then Clark suffered a groin injury a little while later. As she was sidelined, veteran wing DeWanna Bonner was released from the team, which opened the door for Indiana to re-sign McDonald.
Clark practiced in a five-on-five capacity for the first time since suffering her groin injury during Indiana's July 7 practice. And Chloe Peterson of IndyStar posted an X video of McDonald and Clark scrimmaging on the same team, with McDonald handling the ball and Clark playing off-ball, which is a role that is foreign to her on the Fever.
Some Aari McDonald at point and CC off-ball actions: pic.twitter.com/I7isFaNjR2
— Chloe Peterson (@chloepeterson67) July 7, 2025
Stephanie White spoke with the media after Monday's practice and detailed how she sees McDonald and Clark eventually fitting in on the court together.
"I think it will be really good for us to be able to get [Caitlin] off the ball a little bit more in certain situations. And playing on the floor with Aari gives her the opportunity to do that," White said when asked about McDonald and Clark playing together, per an X post from Peterson.
"I think it can give [Caitlin] a break, I think it can get her and our team different looks when that happens. So this is really the first time that we've been able to practice that, so look forward to exploring that a little bit more," she added.
Stephanie White on playing Aari McDonald and Caitlin Clark together, getting CC some off-ball looks, and how she’s progressing for Wednesday: pic.twitter.com/3mhRO3ITDn
— Chloe Peterson (@chloepeterson67) July 7, 2025
Fever fans are hoping this double-guard pairing will debut during Indiana's July 9 game against the Golden State Valkyries.
More must-reads:
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!