Caitlin Clark's sophomore season in the WNBA came to an unceremonious close on Thursday night, when she announced that she will not return for the Fever's playoff push.
Clark, a two-time All-Star and the league's reigning Rookie of the Year, has been sidelined since July 13 as she deals with both groin and quad injuries. While Clark had advanced to non-contact and 5-on-0 drills during Indiana practice in recent days, the franchise ultimately decided to shut her down rather than rush her back for the postseason.
It is a tough, but ultimately reasonable decision, and the ultra-competitive Clark seems to be taking it in stride. Less than a day after announcing that she will be shut down, she has shifted into sports fan mode and is keeping things light on social media.
Go Fever , Go Chiefs!!! let’s have a day❤️
— Caitlin Clark (@CaitlinClark22) September 5, 2025
Indiana tips off at 7:30 p.m. ET against the Sky, while Clark's Chiefs open their NFL season a half-hour later against the Chargers in Brazil. She probably won't be streaming the game on YouTube from the bench as her teammates continue their push to the postseason, but she's sure to be locked in afterwards.
After the Valkyries clinched a playoff spot on Thursday (a first for a WNBA expansion team in year one), two slots remain, with the Storm (22–20) a half game ahead of the Fever (21–20), and the Sparks (19–21) 1.5 games back of Indiana for the eighth seed. The Fever face the Mystics and the first-place Lynx to close out the regular season, after Friday's game against Chicago.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Caitlin Clark Is Every Sports Fan Now After Thursday's Unfortunate Injury Update.
