Caitlin Clark injury update: Fever star remains out Friday for crucial clash against Sparks

Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark will miss her 17th consecutive game with a right groin injury Friday when her team takes on the Los Angeles Sparks in a game with major postseason implications. The Fever, who sit in sixth place, are two games ahead of the ninth-place Sparks in the crowded bottom half of the WNBA playoff picture. 

Clark, who was injured late in the Fever's win over the Connecticut Sun on July 15, does not have an official return timeline. She also suffered a bone bruise on her left ankle during a workout on Aug. 7. The Indy Star reported that Clark's ankle issue did not affect her groin rehab, and the Fever released a statement on Wednesday saying "there was no timeline or projected return to play" so it's unclear if it was impacted. 

Fever coach Stephanie White said earlier this month that "the hope" is for Clark to return before the end of the regular season. Clark has not yet returned to practice, but has started participating in non-contact drills with the team during shootaround. Earlier this week, White detailed what she needs to see from Clark before putting her back on the floor. 

"I want to see her in practice, live in practice," White said. "I want to see her to continue to work to not just build endurance, but to be able to handle contact 94 feet as it's going to be in game, and to be able to do that and sustain from an endurance standpoint, and that's going to take multiple practices to make sure that there's no regression. As most of us know, when we get fatigued, we look different. [We need to see] how she plays through fatigue."

"Not necessarily team practices, but being able to put together [3-on-3, 4-on-4], and different things we can go against and match up with," White said when asked if the team would have enough practices down the stretch. 

When will Caitlin Clark return from injury? Fever coach explains what needs to happen for star to suit up

Jack Maloney

Following Friday's contest, the Fever will continue their three-game West Coast trip on Sunday with another massive game against the Golden State Valkyries. All told, the Fever will have just five games remaining until the regular season comes to a close on Sept. 11. It remains unclear if Clark will be cleared at any time before that date. 

After a historic Rookie of the Year season, Clark's sophomore campaign has been derailed by injuries. She's been limited to 13 appearances due to a left quad strain that kept her out for three weeks, a left groin injury that sidelined her for two weeks and now a right groin injury. Along the way, she's missed out on the Commissioner's Cup championship and All-Star weekend in her adopted home city of Indianapolis. 

Spending so much time on the training table is a new experience for Clark, who prior to this season had not missed a game due to injury since she was in high school. 

"This is the first time I haven't felt like a young body that can run around and sprint every day and just continue to do that," Clark told Glamour over All-Star weekend. "Being a professional athlete, you really have to take care of both your body and your mind -- it's been a journey learning about that."

When Clark has been able to get on the floor, she's struggled to find the form that made her an All-WNBA First Team honoree last season. Aside from a triple-double in the Fever's season opener and a 32-point, eight-rebound, nine-assist effort in her return from her first injury, most of the discussion about Clark's on-court performance has centered around her lengthy shooting slump. 

Clark is 7 of 49 from 3-point range in her last seven appearances, and has failed to make a 3-pointer in three separate games. For the season, she's shooting 36.7% from the field, including 27.9% from behind the arc. Notably, she is 2 of 35 from downtown on the road. Despite her poor shooting, Clark is still putting up 16.5 points, five rebounds and 8.8 assists per game -- good for second in the league. 

The 20-18 Fever are 8-5 with Clark in the lineup and 12-13 without her. Entering Friday they are alone in sixth place, but are percentage points ahead of the seventh-place Seattle Storm, a half-game up on the eighth-place Valkyries and two games up on the ninth-place Sparks. 

In addition to being without Clark, they are now also without Sydney Colson (torn ACL), Aari McDonald (broken foot) and Sophie Cunningham (torn MCL) for the remainder of the season.