After another foiled championship game, Caitlin Clark had just one question.”What is there more for me to do here?” The six-foot-tall point guard rewrote Iowa’s fortunes for four years straight, and at the end? She needed a change of pace. It seemed like the national championship game was as close as she would get to a natty. But still, the journey was something special! Fifteen thousand people celebrated with her every night, for every accolade, and in every situation.
But still, all good things must come to an end, and Clark knew it! There was no doubt in anyone’s mind that the Hawkeyes guard would be selected first overall in the stacked 2024 draft class, but did you know she almost stayed back? A significant factor in Clark’s decision to forgo her NCAA eligibility was Indiana securing the first overall pick, a fact she openly admitted to WNBA legend Sue Bird.
On the Bird’s Eye View podcast, CC admitted that she, a midwestern girl, was the most interested in going to Indiana. “I didn’t wanna go to LA. But I wanted Indiana to get the first pick.” She said, completely denying the franchise. It’s not a common sentiment for players to avoid going to the bigger markets, after all, it doesn’t get bigger than LA!
The Sparks are a highly sought-after team, with Forbes putting their valuation at around $235 million in 2025, but Indiana just looked like the perfect fit for Clark. And the rest, as they say, is history. But it wasn’t easy for the Hawkeyes guard. The fans adored her, and her coach was trying hard to get her to stay.
Lisa Bluder and Caitlin Clark went hand-in-hand through the star’s entire college run. And at the end? It made sense for the Iowa Hawkeyes’ head coach to try to get her cornerstone back. “That [leaving Iowa] was hard because Coach Buder? She wanted me to come back. That was her job to get her best player back on her roster; anybody would’ve done that. But at the same time, when I made my final decision, obviously she was very happy for me.” The bond between Bluder and Clark was special. How could it not, after making two back-to-back Final Fours together?
Overall, it was for the better that Caitlin Clark entered the big leagues. We’ve been witnessing the Indiana Fever star’s unstoppable rise, which is impacting the WNBA and dragging the budding league upward alongside her. However, there’s still a long way to go, and this season didn’t help.
With all of Clark’s injuries and downtime, the WNBA season hasn’t been getting the same kind of attention that it did last year. But what does the Indiana Fever star feel about this turbulent season so far? Let’s find out!
Frustrated Caitlin Clark gets candid about injury struggles
This was supposed to be a big year for Caitlin Clark. After the Indiana Fever star broke records aplenty and even ended up on the MVP probable list last year, everyone expected a huge breakout season. And with the way the off-season was turning out? It was a pretty fair ask. With Natasha Howard, Sophie Cunningham, and now Aari McDonald joining forces with the star, it should’ve been light work.
Well, not exactly. This season has been a period of trial and tribulation for the Fever star… Injuries just haven’t left her alone! First, her left quad, and now? A bilateral groin strain that just isn’t healing. She has missed 18 games so far, and it’s been frustrating for everyone involved.
Jul 15, 2025; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) falls after a play against the Connecticut Sun in the second quarter at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images
While talking to Sue Bird on her podcast, Caitlin Clark admitted just how gruelling this period of injury has been for her. “It’s just been so challenging being active, playing four games, and then not. And then not feeling the best and then frustrated of how hard I worked in the offseason and all I do is rehab and continue to do this process. … I think that’s been the hardest part, the stop-and-go of everything.” We feel you, Caitlin!
The entire process has been very challenging for all parties involved. Indiana has had to learn how to adjust, while Stephanie White has dealt with endless criticism for her role in CC’s failed return to sport. We’ve found some diamonds in the rough because of this, no doubt! But everyone wants the Fever to feel fresh again, and to see Caitlin Clark dishing out dimes and threes aplenty! With no concrete timeline on her return, it will be interesting to see how CC is reintegrated into the Indiana Fever when she does come back. Stay tuned for more!
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