Caitlin Clark was a late scratch on Wednesday when the Indiana Fever hosted the Portland Fire, marking her first missed game of the season.
Indiana went on to beat the Fire 90-73, but Clark’s absence raised concerns about her availability for Friday’s matchup against the Golden State Valkyries. But those concerns proved short-lived, as Clark returned to the starting lineup and scored a team-leading 22 points to help lift Indiana to a third consecutive win.
Clark admitted that the recovery process has tested her mentally as much as it has physically.
"I think, at the end of the day, it's me and my confidence," she told reporters Friday. "Coming back from injury and having however many soft tissue injuries [in 2025] is a real mental challenge."
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Clark’s promising start to her WNBA career was interrupted by injuries in 2025. After appearing in 40 games and winning Rookie of the Year in 2024, the NCAA’s all-time leading scorer was limited to just 13 appearances last season due to a groin strain and ankle bone bruise.
Clark added that her confidence can still fluctuate at times, particularly as she works through the earlier part of the season. "These are the best players in the world, and if I don't feel 100% confident in my body on Game 5 of the year, I don't know if that's really worth it in that scenario," she said.
Clark logged 32 minutes in Friday's win over Golden State, adding nine assists to her stat line to finish just shy of a double-double.
She also acknowledged the difference in physical demands compared with offseason competition.
"Yes, I played USA Basketball [this offseason], but I didn't play 32 minutes, super physical," Clark said postgame. "That's the difference for me right now, but I feel great. I think a lot of the times, it's for me the next day, understanding how my body feels and understanding that a little bit better. Obviously, your adrenaline is pumping, you don't always understand right after the game. ... Overall, I feel good. It's just continuing to take care of my body."
The Fever and Valkyries will switch venues when they meet again Thursday in San Francisco.
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Clark said she is still learning to give herself grace while navigating the mental side of returning from injury.
"I think there's moments where maybe I get in my head a little bit, and that's understandable," she said. "I need to have a little grace with myself. I need people to give me a little bit of grace too. When you go through so many things, it becomes a little bit traumatizing too."
Clark said she does not expect the back soreness to become a long-term concern, adding that she is "doing everything I can to put myself in the best position I can recovery-wise ... and to play the next game."
Off-the-court, Clark unveiled the cover art of her upcoming children’s picture book, "EXTRAordinary! A Little EXTRA to Reach BIG Dreams."
The book, which is scheduled for release in November, draws from Clark’s life — one she said is "like few others."
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