Time has run out for Caitlin Clark to return from her lingering groin injury, with the Indiana Fever guard announcing via social media this week that she will officially sit out the rest of the 2025 WNBA season in hopes of making a healthy start in 2026.
"I spent hours in the gym every day with the singular goal of getting back out there, disappointed isn't a big enough word to describe how I am feeling," Clark said in her Thursday post.
"Caitlin has worked so hard throughout this time, doing everything possible to recover and return to the court but, ultimately, time is not on our side," Fever COO and GM Amber Cox said in a team statement. "Her long-term health and well-being remains our top priority."
Clark featured in just 13 games for the Indiana Fever this year, averaging 16.5 points, 8.8 assists, and five rebounds per game on the season while also earning a nod as a 2025 WNBA All-Star Game captain.
Following a season of shooting slumps and soft tissue knocks, the Indiana standout has watched the No. 8 Fever's championship hopes dwindle under the weight of additional roster shifts.
Veteran offseason signing DeWanna Bonner jumped ship midseason to join the No. 4 Phoenix Mercury, while guards Sydney Colson, Aari McDonald, and Sophie Cunningham all went down with season-ending injuries alongside forward Chloe Bibby.
"This has been incredibly frustrating, but even in the bad, there is good. The way the fans continued to show up for me, and for the Fever, brought me so much joy and important perspective," Clark wrote. "I am so proud of how this team has only gotten stronger through adversity this year."
"Now it's time to close out the season and claim our spot in the Playoffs," Clark added.
How to watch the Indiana Fever this weekend
Despite the setback, No. 8 Indiana still has a clear path to punching a postseason ticket, starting with a Friday matchup against the No. 11 Chicago Sky. The game will tip off at 7:30 PM ET, with live coverage on ION.
Then on Sunday, the Fever will take on the No. 10 Washington Mystics in their penultimate game of the 2025 season, airing live at 3 PM ET on NBA TV.