That’s 13 games now that the Indiana Fever have gone without Caitlin Clark. And when the record says 6-7, you know the team has learnt to adapt and overcome. “If we have Caitlin, great, and we know how to play with her. If we don’t have Caitlin, great. We know how to play without her,” Sophie Cunningham admitted. But that’s not what the fans want to hear. When the aspirations read ‘championship’ and the predictions vouched for an MVP campaign, watching her on the sidelines is just not it for them. Especially if another sport could be the cause.

After a historic rookie campaign and an over 180-game streak, Caitlin Clark was hit with 3 injuries by the first half of her sophomore season. A quad injury that kept her out for three weeks, a left groin meant 2 more, and now a right groin that has no clear timetable. Recent scans, however, have been promising, and the young guard is technically on a ‘day-to-day’ basis, with some analysts giving her a generous 2-3 week recovery timeline.

Her absence has meant a drop in viewership and a plummet in the ticket price, making it evident that spectators want to see her back on the court. Moreover, during the Fever vs Chicago matchup on Sunday, the six-foot-tall guard was criticized for being way too energetic while cheering her team on from the sidelines. And when another sport came into the picture, you bet the voices were loud. This one involved a charity act in her nativity.

On Monday, Caitlin Clark was out giving back to the community of Des Moines, inaugurating one of the basketball/ soccer courts built in collaboration with Musco Lighting. She also distributed about 500 school supplies for kids at McCombs Middle School. What triggered the fans, however, came a little later– the Fever no.22 was kicking around the soccer ball with her right leg!

Had Clark not been a basketball star, soccer is the sport she’d have picked and been equally successful. Her dad would bet large sums on that. But she’s in Indiana now and fans want to see her suiting up for it. With a groin injury, that Lisa Leslie warns, “is really tough because it lingers, no matter how much medicine you take. You can feel fine and get back out there, but one move, one change of direction, and boom,” kicking the soccer ball is not the most ideal of scenarios.

WNBA fans react to Caitlin Clark’s soccer stunt in Iowa

Shortly after the video of Caitlin Clark’s soccer kick went viral, social media understandably went wild! Indiana fans, CC fans, and the entire WNBA community flooded X with messages of concern and warning for the Indiana Fever guard. After missing thirteen games so far in the season, we get where the fans were coming from!

One fan on X summed it up pretty well. “Stop moving the right leg! PLEASE!!!!” they said, asking Clark to take it easy. The suspected reason behind the continued, repetitive injuries for Caitlin Clark is poor workload management and sudden spikes of intensity. Stephanie White even hinted at the physicality against her being a direct contributor. So without a doubt, this video has a lot of people scared!

“She is SWINGING that right leg around my god,” another fan tweeted, sharing the same concerned sentiment. When Clark hit that logo three in the pre-season game against Brazil, followed it up with a triple-double, and shot from 30+ feet multiple times against Liberty, she was making her case stronger for the MVP favorite she was listed as. Missing out on performances like that, you could guess why the fans were concerned.

“Did she forget she has a groin injury?” another questioned. Like Leslie mentioned, and White doubled-down, soft tissue injuries are no easy heal. They demand plenty of rest to recover. But with the Fever schedule already so packed, rigorously moving around is the last thing they’d want.

Hence, “Bruh…this and jumping up and down on the sidelines what are we doing,” a fan called out. The 23-year-old who opened at +300 as an MVP favorite and was at +200 by the season opener, has a lot of hopes banking on her. Moreover, for many, she is the player to tune into WNBA games for. Skip Bayless, for one, loudly declared, “the WNBA has better get Caitlin Clark physically and mentally healthy or risk sliding right back off the national map. I’m sorry but I’m just being honest: I find it difficult to watch WNBA games without her on the floor.” 

However, while the fans acted parent-like, concerned about their star player, one chose to pick the positive. “Well, she doesn’t appear to be experiencing any right groin pain when she does this kick, so that’s good,” one wrote, expecting a sooner comeback.

According to the most recent update from Holly Rowe, the Indiana Fever organization will be taking its own sweet time with Clark’s recovery. There will be intensive practices, conditioning, and assessments to make sure that the six-foot-tall point guard is ready for play. Rowe hinted at a mid-August timeline for Clark’s recovery, and that can’t seem further away! Hopefully, this time around, CC will be fully fit and able to bear the brunt of the remaining season.