The Injury That Prevented Caitlin Clark From Playing in 2025 — Explained
"I had hoped to share a better update, but I will not be returning to play this season."
Published Sept. 5 2025, 3:11 p.m. ET
The 2025 WNBA wasn't a walk in the park for the Indiana Fever. The popular team lost several prominent players to a wide variety of injuries, with the biggest news related to Caitlin Clark.
Ever since she displayed plenty of potential during her college career, people were looking forward to what Caitlin would accomplish in the big leagues.
The star's second season as a professional was ruined by constant situations that kept her off the court.
The Indiana Fever had to make up for Caitlin's absence with players such as Sophie Cunningham, Kelsey Mitchell and Aliyah Boston. The team positioned itself to make it to they playoffs by the end of the summer, overcoming unpredictable setbacks in the process.
How did Caitlin Clark get injured? Here's what we know about the chain of events that led to the Indiana Fever's mega star to miss out on most of the 2025 season.
How did Caitlin Clark get injured?
According to ESPN, Caitlin got injured during the July 15 game the Fever had against the Connecticut Sun. By that point in the calendar, the end of the regular season was nowhere in sight. If Indiana wanted any chance of making it to the playoffs, Caitlin's performance was in doubt.
The team's star continues to attend every Fever game possible, showing support for the team even if she wasn't able to play.
Caitlin attempted to return to the court at some point, but her injuries didn't allow her to remain a part of the active roster for most of the season. The development was a bittersweet contrast when compared to her WNBA debut year, where she got All-WNBA first-team honors and was a serious candidate for MVP.
Through a moving X post, Caitlin explained how disappointed she was in not being able to come back.
What injury does Caitlin Clark have?
According to ESPN, Caitlin was sidelined due to a right groin injury. One of the most tragic details of the situation was the fact that the injury took place during the final moments of the encounter against the Connecticut Sun. It's hard to know if the player could have done anything to change the outcome of the game.
By the time Caitlin was out of the picture, the Fever had just won the 2025 Commissioner's Cup.
Caitlin was no longer able to compete during the 2025 WNBA regular season. The official schedule released by the league established that the WNBA Finals would take place in October, with the 2026 season presumably starting in May 2026, judging by the previous year's calendar.
This would give Caitlin plenty of time to recover before it's time for her to play once again. Due to her young age, Caitlin still has plenty of potential to become a major figure for the WNBA.
When Caitlin announced that she would no longer be a part of the 2025 season, the Indiana Fever hadn't secured their spot in the playoffs. The Seattle Storm and the Los Angeles Sparks were also looking to make it to the next stage of the season.