The casual WNBA fans who are just tuning in for the WNBA playoffs were in for a big surprise. Undoubtedly, they would have been searching for Caitlin Clark’s No. 22 on the court when the Indiana Fever faced off against the Atlanta Dream in Game 1 of the playoffs, only to find her screaming at the refs on the sidelines in plain clothes. Caitlin Clark has been struggling with multiple soft tissue injuries this season, but the Indiana Fever kept a window open for Clark to return for the postseason. However, it was not to be. 

“I had hoped to share a better update, but I will not be returning to play this season,” Clark said in a statement on September 4, just before the season ended, “I spent hours in the gym every day with the singular goal of getting back out there, disappointed isn’t a big enough word to describe how I am feeling.” The string of injuries started even before the season began, as Clark experienced “just a little tightness” in her left leg and missed the preseason opener against the Washington Mystics. 

Her first major injury came after 4 games, and she was ruled out with a left quad strain for at least 2 weeks. The 2 weeks turned into 3, and she exploded for 32 points and 9 assists on her return against the New York Liberty. However, the celebration did not last long as she suffered a groin injury in late June. Clark made a return on 9th July and played four games, but her right groin was injured while playing against the Connecticut Sun. 

The recovery was messy, to say the least. She was largely listed as day-to-day by Stephanie White in her pre-game comments, but there was a cloud of uncertainty around her. Clark started 5 vs 0 practice just days before ruling herself out, giving the fans hope, but ultimately, they favoured her long-term health rather than the 2025 playoffs. Her injury is pretty complicated from a medical standpoint, and more importantly, it is recurring in nature. 

If they had brought her back on a minute restriction, any moment could have triggered any of her soft tissue injuries, taking her progress back to square one. Even before Clark ruled herself out, the 8-time WNBA all-star had advised the Fever and Clark to be ruled out. “Do you want to see Caitlin Clark for the longevity of her career?” Leslie asked. “I’m just thinking, me personally, I would not put Caitlin Clark back on the floor this season, and the only reason why I say that is because I had the injury that she has.” In the end, Fever and Clark took Leslie’s advice, but how did Clark perform during the time she played? Let’s dissect Clark’s 13-game season. 

Caitlin Clark 2025: Numbers Through the Pain

With these multiple injuries, holding 2024 form was hard enough; topping it was out of reach for Clark. It was the first time in her career since high school that  Clark was experiencing something like this. “I’ve never been through anything like this, and I think that’s probably why it’s been so hard. I’ve never really dealt with injury, and that’s probably been a challenge in itself because when I first was feeling pain, I didn’t understand it,” Clark said on WNBA legend Sue Bird’s podcast, “Bird’s Eye View.” Let’s look at how the numbers stack up as compared to her groundbreaking Rookie Of The Year 2024 season. 

There has been a considerable drop, which was to be expected with the continuous injuries. Clark’s outside shooting took a massive hit simply because she wasn’t fit enough to cope with the WNBA-level defending. To make things worse, she was the primary creator of the team, which means there was no one creating for her. Clark made 72.2% of her points in 2025 unassisted, which is among the most in the league. With her injuries, she couldn’t handle doing double shifts as a scorer and a creator. However, if we look at Clark’s history after any setback, she is likely gearing up for a statement 2026 season.