Fever HC Speaks About Decision Made Around Whether Caitlin Clark Will Play With 3 Games Left

The Indiana Fever can’t escape their injury ‘Black Death’. Every week, another star falls prey to it. The latest victim was Chloe Bibby, who was ruled out of the season with her knee injury, and even their player development coach, Keith Porter, has ruptured his right Achilles tendon. While the epidemic continues to spread, the Fever head coach has provided an update on Caitlin Clark’s condition.

Clark is yet to be completely ruled out for the season as she recovers from multiple soft tissue injuries, with the right groin being the latest. However, with only 3 regular season games left, a reporter asked a question that every fan had in their minds: “Does Caitlin now have enough time?” Stephanie White replied, “Yeah, we really wanted to use this West Coast trip to evaluate. We’re going to sit down and after practice today and hopefully have a direction soon.”

White and Co. are just returning from a tough away leg where they faced Los Angeles, the Valkyries, and the Mercury, where Clark continued her rehab. The next trip is to the East Coast’s CFG Bank Arena for the Mystics, after hosting the Sky, and before closing at home against the Lynx. As the season winds down, the fans will finally get a decision on Clark with the playoffs on the horizon. A spot in the postseason is almost a lock, but they desperately want Clark to push further.

The fans have been left in the dark regarding Clark’s participation in their quest for the title, but all they have received are unclear updates. With a firm decision coming soon, it should bring some good news for the fans, as White further mentioned, “The hope is to sit down and have an answer one way or another.”

Beyond her return date, her progress has also been shrouded in secrecy. Only recently, she was spotted in a 5 vs 0 practice, draining a three-pointer. But White has been clear on the conditions for her return, “I want to see her continue to work to not just build endurance, but to be able to handle contact (for) 94 feet as it’s going to be in-game.” Progress remains limited as there’s been no full-contact training yet, which is the key hurdle.

White further said, “She hasn’t been able to do a whole lot of contact, so she’s been able to get up and down five on 0, been able to get shooting, but hasn’t been able to get a whole lot of contact.” It was not the news the Fever community wanted, as she will need multiple practices with contact to actually return to action. With less than a week of regular-season action left, the situation is looking pretty grim. Meanwhile, away from the trainer’s table, her off-court empire is only getting bigger.

Caitlin Clark Crowned WNBA’s Endorsement Queen

Despite playing only 13 games this season, Caitlin Clark is still the fan favourite. Which means she is still loved by the brands that are lining up to make her the face of theirs. The latest addition to Clark’s portfolio was Stanley. She signed a multi-year deal with the brand, which involved the release of an exclusive series. Stanley released its limited edition collab with Clark, including four different tumbler styles in a brand-new colorway.

Even with the Stanley terms under wraps, her portfolio now makes her the WNBA’s all‑time endorsement earner, according to DW Sports. That is not really a surprise, as she already inked a $28 million deal with Nike last year, which culminated in a release of her own logo recently. Clark is now the face of the brand and is set to get her own sneaker next year.

Apart from that crown jewel, she is associated with Gatorade and State Farm. Clark also became the first athlete since Michael Jordan to sign a deal with Clark with Wilson. The company released a signature collection of items featuring Clark, including three limited-edition white and gold basketballs featuring Clark.

The list is still not finished as Clark has deals with the likes of Bose, Hy-Vee, Topps, Goldman Sachs, among more. Her on-court absence has not scared away the brands, and her relentless hustle is paying dividends. With just $78,066 from the W, there’s no cushion. Considering her injuries this year, that offseason basketball is still out of question, just like 2024. While that salary number might change, Clark will remain as the “needle-mover” of the WNBA.