“If we have Caitlin, great,… If we don’t have Caitlin, great, we know how to play without her.”

That single phrase from Sophie Cunningham in a post-game interview carries multiple meanings. Legacy isn’t defined by one moment, one game, or even a single season… It’s about how history will remember you!

For Caitlin Clark, it has never been simple, though. Far too many markers have come her way to measure how her name will stand the test of time. First, it was the national championship in college. Then, her rise in the WNBA. Next, how she carries the Fever forward. And now…even from the sidelines, her legacy feels intertwined with a Fever Finals run. How? 

See, Indiana’s plan from the very beginning was simple with Clark at the helm: a deep postseason run, and eventually, a title. However, injuries altered the course of events. Still somehow, miraculously, Fever is in the semifinals, fighting A’ja Wilson’s Las Vegas Aces for a Finals spot.

But as fate would have it, CC isn’t the one leading the charge.

And suddenly, claims like, “Fever might be better off without Clark,” started popping up (clearly not valid), and the question emerged: if Indiana makes the Finals, how does that affect Clark’s journey, her story, her impact? 

Well, we let the fans have the final say. In our flagship newsletter, She Got Game, we ran a poll asking: “Will the Fever’s potential run to the Finals without Caitlin Clark affect her value?” The options were: Yes, Not at all, and Somewhat, but her comeback matters. The outcome was as expected, but it did trigger a thought.

An overwhelming 318 (out of 578) said “Not at all”, showing fans are confident in Clark’s standing. Meanwhile, 164 felt it’s too early to tell, eager to see her next season, and the rest went with Yes. And it wasn’t the typical just check-the-box thing.

Fans had their takes, their reasons, their perspectives. Like one SGG reader opined simply, “The team she started with at the beginning of the season isn’t the same team. It’s a much better team, and they play better without her.” Before we get to the exact point, the numbers tell a story. During the regular season, the Fever went 16-15 without Clark, who has been out due to a groin injury. In the postseason, they’re now 3-2 without her heading into Game 2 against the Aces. That brings the current tally to 8-5 with Caitlin and 19-17 without her.

But coming back to the point, does that really mean the Fever are better without Clark?

Not quite. We can say that their continued success comes down to a few key reasons:

• Depth on the roster 
• Stephanie White’s experience 
• Kelsey Mitchell (doesn’t need any explanation, right?)
• The ‘underdog’ mentality

And if you ask those who are confident that Clark is still the driving force, they say, “As long as she’s in the building, she matters. Her energy and desire to win feed the crowd and her team.”

Even though Clark has only played 13 games this season, she’s been present for nearly all of them, playing the ultimate hype woman. After making it semis, she tweeted, “BENCH MOB WILL BE EVEN MORE ROWDY TOMORROW LETS GOO!” highlighting her involvement in the Fever’s day-to-day affairs.

CC even brought a little superstition into the WNBA playoff semifinals. It started when she debuted black Nike Air Force 1s ahead of the Fever’s first-round Game 2 against the Atlanta Dream on Sept. 16.

Maybe the shoes didn’t work magic long-term, but it’s just another reminder that her presence has always been a part of the team’s journey. Both Mitchell and Stephanie White have spoken about how their “bench mob” is a huge part of why they win, despite picking up fines.

Hence, a fan rightly said, “Caitlin has demonstrated her value without being active on the floor.” They call her the ‘glue’. Clark does bind this team, and no one can deny that.

You can see it in the “Coach Clark” videos. You can see it in Aliyah Boston-CC’s pre-game rituals. It’s visible when the team refuses to huddle after a win or loss without her. You can see it when she walks off the court, arm around her teammates’ shoulders. And more than anything, it’s visible in the way her teammates are ready to go to war for her. Just think back to that Sun game.

But you know, the truth is… more than what she does, it’s about who she is!

As one fan put it, “Caitlin is Caitlin, no matter who she plays for. This will not affect her value as a player.” Clark is a brand, not just a player… let’s get that straight. Many even call her the “WNBA” at this point. The numbers she brings, the fans she brings, the hype she brings; no one in history has ever done that at an individual level. Her injury sent the resale market plummeting, with prices dropping by an average of 70% in the first 48 hours after it was announced.

And sure, Gainbridge Fieldhouse was almost sold out for their first home playoff in a decade, but you can bet tickets would have carried far greater value (both in price and numbers) if Clark were playing. And yet, whether she’s on the court or not, you still see a sea of fans sporting No. 22.

There’s a whole section of fans who are simply waiting for her return. Meanwhile, another group is waiting too. But just to see how she fares.

“Support and interest in CC will always depend on her performance next season, no matter how far the Fever go in the playoffs,” one fan said as another added, “There is no guarantee that she will play that good anymore.” We know these doubts come from the fact that Clark has had four injury episodes this season:

Two with a quad and one with each groin. And a groin injury doesn’t heal quickly. Lisa Leslie knows the challenge firsthand, having dealt with the same issue back in 2006.

“The hard part is that the groin isn’t just one spot you can say, ‘Oh, it hurts here,'” Leslie explained. “You learn to manage it and play through the pain, which can also explain why her numbers have dipped.” Clark made just 27.9% of her 3-pointers this season. And the tricky part is that even with treatment and rest, a groin injury can linger.

“You take one move, one sudden change of direction, and boom – the pain is back,” Leslie said. So, whether Caitlin will learn to play through it or it will continue to nag, only time will tell. Still, many fans remain optimistic. “She’s an incredible player. If she comes back healthy and performs, none of this will matter, and the team might even benefit from being less dependent on her,” one reader noted.

For now, though, the progress looks promising.

Caitlin Clark back on the court

Caitlin Clark has had a busy offseason, both on and off the court. She didn’t skip a beat at the gym. Her standard summer workout was 100 3-point attempts and 300 shots total. A grind that fans were eager to see translate onto the court. But unfortunately, those workout sights became rare as the season started. But good news, people! 

For the first time since her season update, Clark’s progress is visible on the hardwood. A recent shootaround at Gainbridge Fieldhouse (shared on X) showed her moving freely, taking shots beyond the arc, and even testing her ankle and right groin. It’s a positive sign, though the Fever are keeping things cautious, limiting her to non-contact drills.

This isn’t the first time, though. Clark has been spotted in similar drills before, including pre-game sessions against the Atlanta Dream. Some fans even speculated she might make a surprise playoff entry. But she won’t. WNBA rules require teams to submit their active roster before the playoffs, and Clark wasn’t included. 

Once the postseason begins, no changes are allowed. Even though she’s part of shootarounds, she’s not participating with the team in games. As GM Amber Cox made it clear, “We are looking forward to having her back at full strength to start the 2026 season.”

For the time being, her team continues the fight for a Finals spot without her against the mighty Aces. And while Clark will surely be cheering them on, should she really be worried about her position? Here’s what we think. 

EssentiallySports’ verdict

To put it plain and simple, no, the Fever’s Finals run doesn’t threaten Caitlin Clark’s legacy. Her impact goes far beyond a single postseason. She didn’t need an NCAA title to be hailed as the college basketball GOAT, and it’s the same story in the W. She finished her rookie season as the league’s all-time leader in points and assists for a first-year player, topped the assist charts, and even cracked MVP conversations in just her second year. 

More importantly, she brought eyes, fans, and energy to the league like never before. So, the fact that she isn’t part of this potential Finals run won’t erase or redefine her greatness. Clark is already the superstar who made her sport matter more than it ever has. 

And even if she doesn’t win a ring for a few years (not to jinx it, sorry, Indy fans), her place in the game stays secure. After all, Dan Marino is rightly recognized as one of the NFL’s greatest quarterbacks, yet he never won a Super Bowl. Charles Barkley is one of the NBA’s top 50 all-time players, yet he never got a ring. Because being a generational player, a legacy player, is about more than postseason banners or titles. It’s about reshaping the game. That’s exactly what Clark has already done. Will still do.

But one thing… next season will tell us a whole lot about the Fever. Kelsey Mitchell has firmly established herself as the leader, dragging this team through adversity. Until now, it was Clark’s team, with Aliyah Boston and Mitchell forming the core. But how big of a comeback Clark makes will decide not only her next chapter but also what the Fever look like when they hit the floor again.