It's no secret that the 2025 season hasn't gone according to plan for Caitlin Clark.
Entering the year, Clark had hopes of improving on her rookie season in the WNBA, which was already exceptional. Personally, Clark averaged 19.2 points, 8.4 assists, 5.3 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game. She also helped the Indiana Fever improve to 20-20 and a playoff berth.
Expectations for 2025 were even higher, with Clark and the Fever targeting even more regular-season improvements and a deeper postseason run. It hasn't worked out that way.
Clark's battled injuries essentially all season, suffering a quad injury just four games in. Then, after returning, she dealt with a groin injury. Then Clark reaggravated the same injury. Unsurprisingly, her performance on the court, when healthy, has declined significantly. Especially with her trademark three-point shooting.
The injury problems and time away from the court have clearly taken its toll on Clark, and in a recent interview, she opened up about what it’s been like to deal with this type of adversity.
Speaking on former WNBA player Sue Bird’s podcast, Clark discussed the "challenging" nature of the season.
"There’s just been so much to manage. … Obviously, I feel like that’s been a huge part of this year. It’s just been so challenging being active and then playing four games … and then not feeling the best," Clark said. And then I’m frustrated about how hard I’ve worked in the offseason. And then all I do is rehab and continue through this process and just trying to trust that the best I can.
"Obviously, there are really frustrating days, and there are days where it’s a little bit easier, and you’re very motivated," Clark continued. "And you’re close to the finish line of getting back and being back. It’s not like I have a training camp to build up to play in my first game again. It’s like, 'No, you’re tossed into game 30, like, ‘Go try to play well.’ It’s hard, it really is.
"I think it has given me really good perspective on what a lot of my teammates and teams I’ve been a part of [and] what certain people have had to go through," she added. "I’ve never been through anything like this. I think that’s probably why it’s been so hard because I’ve never really dealt with injury.
"And that’s probably been a challenge in itself because when I was first feeling pain, I didn’t understand it. I was like, ‘Am I just getting tight? Am I just getting old? Do I need to hit a stretch? Do I need to get rubbed out? Do I need some Icy Hot? What’s going on here?"
"So, I think it’s been a balance of understanding my body. Whether it’s this year or whether it’s next year and even throughout my career, I’m going to be very thankful for this moment. I know this is going to help me understand my body better."
Clark was just 7-for-49 from 3-point range over six games, a clear sign of how the injuries have piled up this season. In her absence, the Fever has held on to a 17-14 record, good for third in the Eastern Conference and fifth overall. But a healthy Clark is one of the top few players in the league. Hopefully, at some point in the near future, a healthy Clark is exactly what we'll see.
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