For the first time since July 15 of last year, Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark is playing in basketball games.
The 24-year-old suffered a groin injury on that date in the most recent WNBA season, then a left ankle injury later while rehabbing. Those injuries kept her off the floor for the final 22 games of the Fever’s 2025 campaign and the postseason.
“My ankle kind of didn’t allow me to really see where my groin was at,” Clark said of her injuries at her exit interview after the season.
While she’s been able to practice in Indianapolis and scrimmage at times in the last few months, Clark hadn’t played in any organized games until this week. But with Team USA in the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup Qualifying Tournament in Puerto Rico, Clark put on a jersey, hit the court and got the competitive juices flowing.
It was the first time she had done so in about eight months. Clark shared on a Zoom call with reporters last week that she was looking forward to it but knew there would be some rust involved.
“It’s definitely been a while since I played a game,” Clark said. The Indiana Fever star explained that she had been simulating live play in her workouts as much as possible, but that doesn’t compare to an actual game.
“I think it’ll probably take me a second to knock a little bit of the rust off,” she said. “I’ll probably be a little bit nervous, which I usually don’t get nervous, but that probably just will come from [the fact that] I haven’t really played basketball in a while.
“I’m sure after the first minute of running around on a court, I’ll be just fine.”
That proved to be prescient, yet an understatement when Team USA took on Senegal on Wednesday.
That game marked Clark’s first official one since July. She came off the bench for the red, white, and blue as the team tinkers with lineups – head coach Kara Lawson has used hockey-style substitutions on many occasions in the qualifying tournament so far.
Clark entered the game for the first time with 5:27 on the clock in the first quarter. 32 seconds later, she had an assist as Monique Billings finished a layup on the left side of the court after a screen. Just a bit faster than one minute.
Less than one minute later, Clark had another assist, this time to Kelsey Plum. 18 seconds later, she found Billings again. It took 74 seconds for Clark to rack up three dimes.
Her first points came late in the first quarter as she drilled a deep three, and Clark concluded the first frame with five points and four assists. She was productive as Team USA jumped out to an early lead.
“Really excited. I know how much work and how much time I’ve put into to make sure my body’s as healthy as it can be and to get back not only to a point where I feel like I’m myself, but I feel like I’m even better than where I was at the beginning of last season,” Clark said of her emotions about returning to games. “And I started off the season really well before I was hurt, and tried to play through being hurt. So more than anything, just excited to be out there, be surrounded by a lot of really good players, and do whatever I can to help us win.”
Clark finished the game vs Senegal with 17 points, the second-best mark on Team USA. She made a team-high four threes and five free throws while also contributing 12 of the group’s 31 assists. The Indiana Fever star was dominant.
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The next day, Clark and Team USA played again, this time against Puerto Rico. Clark once again came off the bench and this time didn’t have any points or assists until just before halftime. She missed a few outside shots early and was more effective on the glass.
Her second outing wrapped up with eight points and two assists. Team USA won both games.
“Getting to play in just this World Cup qualifier obviously is a huge honor within itself,” Clark said last week. Team USA’s training camp back in December was a meaningful checkpoint for Clark in the recovery process, and it set her and the team up for success in the current tournament.
“Honestly, I was impressed with how with it I felt. Sometimes I felt like it maybe would take me a day or 2 to really get my first step back, but I felt like myself out there,” Clark recalled of that camp.
She’s been focused on her conditioning and health in the last few months, and that finally got Clark out of her own head when it came to recovery doubts. She’s confident in where her body is now and thanked the Fever’s medical staff for the work they’ve done.
So far, Clark is averaging 12.5 points and 7.0 assists per game in her return to action. Team USA next plays on Saturday when they take on Italy.
