‘I want to play every single game’: Caitlin Clark breaks her silence on injury
Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark talks with media Friday, May 22, 2026, before a game against the Golden State Valkyries at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. Indiana Fever superstar Caitlin Clark missed Wednesday night’s game against the Portland Fire after she was scratched from the lineup due to back soreness less than two hours before the game. The incident sparked a flurry of conversation from fans and media.
Now, Clark herself is speaking on it for the first time. Fever head coach Stephanie White announced about 100 minutes before Wednesday night’s game that Clark had been ruled out for the matchup because of soreness in her back. The suddenness of the announcement, coupled with the inconsistent messaging from the team, led to a lot of criticism, with one analyst going as far as to suggest that someone should be fired for the way things were handled.
Clark, as usual, had a much more reasonable response to the situation when she finally spoke on her status ahead of Friday night’s game. Clark’s Injury Situation Ahead of Wednesday night’s game, White addressed Clark’s status during a press conference, explaining that the star guard woke up dealing with soreness and that the team did not want to risk aggravating the issue. “Just woke up with some stiffness and some soreness,” White said during the press conference, via ESPN .
“For us, it’s not the time to take a chance. We just really want to be cautious. ” While White maintained that Clark had simply “woke up” with back soreness, she also said that Clark sat out Tuesday’s practice while undergoing treatment for her back.
Conflictingly, White insisted that Clark was healthy, while also claiming that the decision had “absolutely not” been related to load management. “She’s healthy,” White said. “We’re not managing anything.
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