Stephanie White compelled to apologize after Caitlin Clark decision

Caitlin Clark has sat out two games with a groin injury after already missing five contests due to a quadriceps injury – and Indiana Fever head coach Stephanie White apologized for her absence

Fever head coach Stephanie White hopes Caitlin Clark will return to the court fully fit soon

Indiana Fever head coach Stephanie White felt compelled to apologize to fans after Caitlin Clark missed her showdown against Paige Bueckers due to injury.

On Friday night, the Fever – missing Clark due to injury – secured a 94-86 win over Bueckers’ Dallas Wings. Kelsey Mitchell dropped 32 points with seven assists in the win, combining effectively with 2023 No. 1 overall pick Aliyah Boston, who added 21 pointsBueckers, the 2025 WNBA Draft’s No. 1 overall pick and reigning national champion, is a star attraction and has impressed since making the step up to the pros. However, even if she did make WNBA history, she couldn’t help her Wings avoid another defeat.

Despite sitting out the loss to the Los Angeles Sparks on Thursday, there was hope that Clark – whose presence dictates ratings – would be available to face Bueckers in the highly anticipated showdown. Before the Wings game, White claimed that the Fever was looking at the “big picture” regarding whether the 23-year-old would sit out.

Ultimately, the Fever decided against using Clark, giving her some much-needed rest amid a concerning injury pattern. White was aware of the excitement surrounding a prospective clash with Bueckers and apologized.

“I’m sorry for the people who are coming,” White said on Friday. “I think I feel a disappointment for them, more than anything, because I want them to see her at her best and us at her best.

“I hate that for fans, but at the same time, for us as a team and for Caitlin as a person and player, her health and wellness is the priority.”

Clark is considered day-to-day with a left groin issue, and she has already sat out two games as a result. She has missed seven games in the 2025 WNBA season, which is odd as she did not miss a single game across four years at Iowa.Caitlin Clark has missed seven games in the 2025 WNBA season having never sat out a single game in her career across both college and her WNBA rookie season

Without Clark, the Fever have gone 3-4. She is needed if the Fever is going to return to the playoffs again later in the 2025 season.

Clark is averaging 18.2 points on 39 percent shooting, including 29.5 percent from 3, 8.9 assists, and 5.6 rebounds per game this season. Her status for Tuesday’s Commissioner’s Cup championship game against the Minnesota Lynx is uncertain.

The clash with the Lynx is another high-stakes contest for the Fever, and fans will undoubtedly be frustrated or let down if Clark is absent. The Lynx have the best record in the Western Conference at 13-2, with Napheesa Collier leading the way for the franchise that fell to the Liberty in the 2024 WNBA Finals.

Regardless, White has made it clear that Clark’s long-term health is the priority. She will not rush the All-Star back from injury unless she has fully recovered, and full fitness will hopefully arrest her shooting woes.

Clark’s Fever take on the Lynx on Tuesday, July 1