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Caitlin Clark opened on Thursday during her exit interview on Litania with lower body injuries that limited Indiana Fever Star to only 13 games in her second campaign.
Clark, 23, talked to journalists after Las Vegas Acer knocked the fever out of the playoffs on Tuesday.
“I’ve worked really hard to get back to full health, and I feel like probably over the past few weeks when I’ve probably started to feel my best,” Clark said via the New York Post.
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Indiana Fever Guard Caitlin Clark (22) goes to the dressing room at the break during match 1 in the first round of 2025 WNBA playing game against Atlanta Dream in Gateway Center Arena in College Park, Georgia, September 14, 2025. (Brett Davis/Imag images)
Clark initially injured her left groin and quad. She came back to play after she recovered from these injuries, but had a right groin injury before the All-Star break.
On top of these injuries, Clark said she had a bone mark in her left ankle while trying to ramp up in early August.
“My ankle didn’t really allow me to see where my groin was on,” Clark said. “I just went to make a step, and unfortunately my ankle rolled all the way up and probably one of the worst sprains I’ve treated.”
Caitlin Clark calls for ‘Great Leadership’; Sophie Cunningham doubles on WNBA -Commissioner condemnation
Caitlin Clark #22 from Indiana Fever goes on the field before the WNBA game against Phoenix Mercury in Phx Arena on September 2, 2025 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
“But I just tried to stay positive (they) best I can, but I honestly want me to be in a really good place. People are not always aware of … When you’re hurt, it’s honestly more work than when you play.”
The fever star said sitting on the sidelines dealing with the damage taught her some lessons.
“There (were) definitely some tough days,” Clark said. “I think it learned (me) how to be a really good leader, how to be a really good teammate and how to empathize (with) your teammates in certain situations. When you are in the warmth of the fight, your feelings are high and you feel things different … When you’re on the sidelines and you don’t have a shirt, you can observe and see people and learn about people.”
Clark announced in early September that she would not return to the season due to her injuries. She also does not play in unmatched, 3 × 3 woman’s basketball league, this season, per. Front Office Sports.
Caitlin Clark responds as they walk away from the field after the first half of the game three of the first round of WNBA playing games between Indiana Fever and Atlanta Dream in the Gateway Center Arena on September 18, 2025 in College Park, Georgia. (Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Unmatched goes into his second season and Clark did not play in the league’s first last year and chose to rest.
Clark was an average of 16.5 points, 8.8 assists and five rebounds over 31.1 minutes per day. Fight in her 13 games this season.
The fever, despite not having Clark, Sophie Cunningham and others due to injury, pushed the aces to Game 5 in the WNBA semi -final.
