Skip Bayless’ “The WNBA has better get Caitlin Clark physically and mentally healthy or risk sliding back off the national map,” pretty much summed up the impact the Fever sensation’s injury has had. 15 games missed so far, and we have seen the viewership fluctuate; once, even going down by more than half. But we aren’t just talking about the dip and the frustration. The sentiment, instead, has spotlighted something crucial, something the league might need to be asked about.
One could start with the third Caitlin Clark injury, the uncertainty 2 weeks since, and all the finger-pointing it birthed. The highlight? Clark has no history of injuries– her last one being during her sophomore year in high school. So when she was sidelined due to a third soft tissue injury in less than 3 months, Stephanie White and the Fever faced the heat for mismanagement. Then, as the updates remained limited, you bet fans went digging, and CBS Sports analyst Erica Ayala knows that’s drawing eyes.
“For better or worse, anytime Caitlin Clark is involved in things, there’s always larger conversations that come. And I think again, Clark being out multiple times this season has led people to wonder, what’s kind of going on here,” she pointed out on We Need To Talk Podcast. “Does it have to do with scheduling? Does it have to do with something that we’ve talked about before with Terrika Foster-Brasby with regard to expanding the roster size comparatively to expanding teams?”
If Caitlin Clark sparked the search for a ‘why’ among fans, high-profile injuries to the likes of Kayla Thornton, Breanna Stewart, Rhyne Howard, Paige Bueckers, and Tyasha Harris, among others, aren’t hard to miss. Stewie has been another without a clear timeline, while Thornton has had to sit out, what has been her best season. Though you couldn’t directly tie them to the scheduling, it has been rather obvious.
“For us as players, recovery is so important. We put our bodies on the line every single time. We had nine games in 18 days. That’s not really responsible for a commissioner,” Satou Sabally had expressed. And as Lisa Leslie has pointed out, too, injuries like Caitlin’s require time to rest and recover, and with the schedule as packed, there’s not much room for that. Moreover, the expansion plans aren’t helping the cause.
Not only are the schedules going to grow tight and long, but the league is missing out on the opportunity to instead add more roster spots, which could cut down the pressure of playing increased minutes.
Keeping up with the same train of thought, Alicia Jay brought statistics into the equation for better understanding. She said, “The average number of days between games is just 2.7, right? So, you mentioned that they added games to this season. Just to give you perspective, in 2021, the average number of days of in between were 4.”
According to a report, since 2019, WNBA games have increased by 29%. However, the number of days for the season has increased by just 10 days (108 in 2019 and 118 in 2025). It is understandable that the league wants to head towards growth. But when your best players are constantly missing from the court? That’s something to stop and rethink.
Meanwhile, the Indiana Fever is treading just fine without its star player.
Caitlin Clark-less Fever makes it 4 in a row, Stephanie White has one word
The moment the Indiana Fever managed to retain their core and sign veteran free agents like Natasha Howard and DeWanna Bonner, the expectation was to dominate from the get go. However, the season hardly went as planned. If Caitlin Clark’s injuries weren’t enough, the Fever also had to navigate through the DeWanna Bonner saga. But well, Stephanie White couldn’t describe their season better.
“I didn’t feel like we played particularly well tonight… but being able to rely on multiple players getting stops when needed, making adjustments and continuing to grow — I mean, this is a group that’s been resilient all season long,” the head coach said. And resilient indeed.
The Indiana franchise notched their fourth-straight win against the Dallas Wings on Friday night. Not only was it their biggest win-streak this season, but for the first time since 2015, they are 4 games over .500. Learning to play without Caitlin is important, White had claimed earlier in the season, and with an 8-7 record in her absence, you bet they trodden the path just right. But that’s not to diminish Clark’s importance. ESPN analysts still bet the team has a potential to be a title contender in her presence. Until then, the team’s going to build a case for the deep playoff run.
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