For the basketball fans of the city of Indiana, the last few months have been a story of big hopes and an eventual letdown. It began with the Indiana Pacers making a surprise run to the NBA Finals. However, that high of making the Finals for the first time since 2000 turned into a low when Tyrese Haliburton tore his Achilles early on in game seven. A similar story happened with the Indiana Fever as well.
With such high hopes after an epic Caitlin Clark rookie season, this season has been a big letdown thanks to injuries. Caitlin Clark’s saga with injuries began early on in the season with a quad injury. Since then, it’s been a constant struggle for the Indiana Fever. Now that Caitlin Clark is in the process of recovery from her right groin injury, fans have been anxious to see her back on the court. However, for ESPN’s reporter, the Indiana Fever should prioritize the big picture and not just this season.
During the latest episode of ESPN’s WNBA Hoot Streams, Taylor Tannebaum and Maria Marino discussed the same. Taylor said, “You have to look at the totality. This franchise right now in terms of success is in its infancy, right? There is so much ahead for this franchise. You want it right now and you want it so badly and you can taste it. It’s right in front of you. But you want to handle Caitlin Clark the right way.”
With Caitlin Clark dealing with soft tissue injuries, it is very tricky to determine how healthy she is. Keeping that in mind, there is a risk of Caitlin coming back to play when she’s not entirely healthy. This has already happened once this season, as coach Stephanie White admitted to mishandling Caitlin Clark’s injury. Citing the example of Tyrese Haliburton, Taylor Tannebaum said that Indiana need to be patient with Caitlin Clark.
She continued on the podcast, “I’m saying this, having worked in Indiana and watching what Pacers fans just had to go through with Tyrese Haliburton, their superstar, who will not be playing for the Indiana Pacers next year because of that Achilles injury. You want to make sure you’re taking care of your superstar. This is your future and we want to see her back on the floor. But it’s very obvious they are treating it very seriously.”
The Indiana Fever are treating Caitlin Clark’s injury with the utmost care, as they don’t want a repeat of what happened earlier in the season. While the severity is undisclosed, it’s clear for all to see that Indiana has learned their lesson. In her previous groin injury, Caitlin was back on the floor in just over two weeks. However, this time around, it’s been more than a month, and CC has yet to practice with her teammates. Yes, their season is hanging in the balance.
BOSTON, MA – JULY 15: Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark 22 looks on during a WNBA, Basketball Damen, USA game between the Indiana Fever and the Connecticut Sun on July 15, 2025, at TD Garden in Boston, MA. Photo by Erica Denhoff/Icon Sportswire WNBA: JUL 15 Indiana Fever at Connecticut Sun EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon25071503
Especially after Sophie Cunningham has also gone down with an injury, they would want to bring Caitlin Clark back into the fold. But cooler heads need to prevail, and her long-term health should be the priority. This Indiana Fever team has a young core, and it would be foolish to risk a major career-threatening injury to your superstar for short-term gain.
Head Coach Stephanie White ‘Hopes’ Caitlin Clark Will Return Before the Playoffs
After the Indiana Fever’s thrilling and emotional win against the Connecticut Sun, the post-game press conference was filled with questions about the Indiana Fever’s injury updates. The bulk of these questions were about Sophie Cunningham. But when it comes to the Indiana Fever, Caitlin Clark’s name cannot be far behind.
When asked if there is a chance Caitlin Clark could return before the playoffs, Stephanie White gave a slight update while keeping things coy. Coach White said, “That’s the hope, the hope is that she’s back.” While this may seem like a generic update, behind the scenes, Caitlin Clark is continuing to make slow but steady progress in her bid to return to the court.
Stephanie White, new Indiana Fever head coach, speaks Monday, Nov. 4, 2024, during a press conference held on Salesforce Court at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
She has already started full-court work, and if things continue trending in the right direction, she could soon start practicing with her teammates. While there is no timetable set for now, things do seem to be trending in the right direction. Till then, the Indiana Fever needs to stay in the playoff positions, which won’t be an easy task.
Their remaining schedule is one of the toughest ones in the league. With 3 games still to play against the table toppers, the Minnesota Lynx, their task is very hard. The Indiana fans would hope that Kelsey Mitchell can keep up her amazing form and lead them from the front.
The post Indiana Pacers’ NBA Crisis Leaves Its Mark on ESPN’s Caitlin Clark Verdict appeared first on EssentiallySports.