Caitlin Clark has dealt with recurring back issues during the 2026 WNBA season. The Indiana Fever received a WNBA warning in May after Clark was not listed on the injury report before she was ruled out against the Portland Fire because of back soreness. Clark later left Indiana’s June 24 game against the Phoenix Mercury with another back issue and missed games on June 27 and July 5.
She returned to the lineup in July. Indiana continued to list Clark on injury reports for her back, listing her as probable before the August 20 game against Dallas.
Clark has dealt with recurring back issues in 2026
Clark entered the WNBA in 2024 as the No. 1 overall draft pick from Iowa. She is now in her 3rd WNBA season. Clark has received extensive national media coverage since entering the WNBA in 2024.
Clark missed Indiana’s May 20 game against Portland because of back stiffness and soreness. She later left the June 24 game against Phoenix with another back problem and returned to action on July 8 after missing the June 27 and July 5 games. She did not play in the second game of Indiana’s July 8-9 back-to-back.
Clark returned on July 12 and has appeared in every Fever game through August 20. Clark’s injury status has appeared regularly in Fever game previews. Updates on Clark’s availability are frequently reported by national sports outlets.
WNBA warns Fever over injury reporting lapse
The WNBA warned the Indiana Fever in May after Clark was not listed on the team’s injury report before its game against Portland. Indiana ruled her out with a back injury less than 2 hours before tipoff.
WNBA rules require teams to report by 5 p.m. local time the day before a game when a player’s participation may be affected, except for the second game of a back-to-back. Clark had not practiced the previous day, and Stephanie White said Clark woke up on game day with stiffness and soreness.
The Fever received a warning but no fine. Indiana listed Clark as probable for its next game against the Golden State Valkyries. The warning showed that Indiana was subject to the WNBA’s standard injury-reporting requirements.
Clark has missed games with a back injury
Clark returned to Indiana’s lineup on July 8 after a back injury had kept her out of the June 27 and July 5 games. She played limited minutes in the July 8 loss to Los Angeles and did not play the following night against Phoenix.
Clark returned again on July 12. Indiana’s schedule shows that she has appeared in every Fever game from July 12 through August 20. Indiana has continued to manage Clark’s practice workload while monitoring her back.
The back issue has continued to appear on Indiana’s injury reports. Clark was listed as probable because of her back before the August 20 game against Dallas. Updates about Clark’s back have continued to receive media coverage.
Clark is averaging a career-high scoring mark in 2026
Through August 20, Clark has scored 717 points in 33 games, averaging 21.7 points per game. She has also recorded 273 assists, an average of 8.3 per game. Her 2026 field-goal percentage is higher than in her first 2 WNBA seasons.
Her 2026 scoring average is higher than her 2024 rookie-season average of 19.2 points per game and her 2025 average of 16.5 points per game. Clark has continued to record assists while playing alongside Kelsey Mitchell and Aliyah Boston. Clark has recorded multiple high-scoring performances during the 2026 season.
Clark has also recorded a higher field-goal percentage in 2026 than in either of her first 2 WNBA seasons. Opponents have shot better against her this season compared with her rookie campaign in 2024. Clark has said publicly that improving her defensive game remains a personal priority going forward.
Fever games have posted high television audiences in 2026
Indiana’s August 8 game against the Chicago Sky averaged 2.6 million viewers on ABC. ESPN said it was the network group’s second-most-watched WNBA game on record at the time. Several Fever games have posted large national television audiences in 2026.
The August 11 game between Indiana and the New York Liberty averaged 2 million viewers on ESPN. It was ESPN’s second-most-watched regular-season WNBA game in 30 years of coverage. The WNBA has reported continued growth in sponsorship, merchandise and audience metrics during Clark’s time in the league.
The 2026 WNBA All-Star Game, which included Clark, averaged 3.2 million viewers on ABC and was up 44% from the 2025 game. Other WNBA players have also appeared in nationally televised games and league marketing during this period. Fever games involving Clark have recorded several of the WNBA’s largest television audiences
Fun fact: The 2026 WNBA All-Star Game was the second-most-watched WNBA All-Star Game on record, behind the 2024 game, which averaged 3.44 million viewers.
ESPN analyst questions Clark’s top-4 guard status
During a July 9 appearance on ESPN’s First Take, David Dennis Jr. questioned whether Clark belonged among the WNBA’s top 4 guards, creating debate among fans and analysts.
In the 2026 WNBA All-Star voting, Clark ranked among the leading guards across fan, media, and player voting categories and was selected as an All-Star starter.
Clark was also named the WNBA Eastern Conference Player of the Month for June after averaging 21.9 points, 4 rebounds, and 8.2 assists per game.
WNBA rescinds Clark’s 8th technical foul
Clark was assessed what would have been her 8th technical foul of the season during Indiana’s August 8 game against the Chicago Sky after making contact with an official. An 8th technical foul would have resulted in an automatic 1-game suspension.
The WNBA reviewed the call and rescinded the technical foul after the game. The reversal meant Clark was not suspended. The reversal kept Clark eligible for Indiana’s next game against the New York Liberty.
Indiana defeated Chicago 90-86. Clark remained eligible for the Fever’s next game against the New York Liberty. Indiana remained in the playoff race at the time of the ruling. The Fever did not have to adjust their lineup because of a technical foul suspension
Indiana enters the final portion of the regular season at 24-13
Indiana entered August 21 with a 24-13 record after losing 91-85 to Dallas on August 20. The Fever are scheduled to play the New York Liberty on August 22 and the Chicago Sky on August 23. Indiana’s remaining games will determine its final regular-season record and playoff seeding.
After Indiana’s August 11 win over New York, Clark said the Fever’s August schedule included several of the league’s top teams and that the stretch would help prepare the team for the playoffs. Clark has spoken publicly about Indiana’s schedule and preparation for the playoffs.
In the 2025 postseason, Indiana defeated Atlanta 2-1 in the first round before losing 3-2 to the Las Vegas Aces in the semifinals. Las Vegas then defeated Phoenix 4-0 in the WNBA Finals. Indiana is seeking another playoff appearance after reaching the semifinals in 2025
Little-known fact: The WNBA named Clark Eastern Conference Player of the Week after she averaged 25.0 points, 2.3 rebounds and 7.7 assists.
TL;DR
- The WNBA warned the Indiana Fever after Caitlin Clark was left off an injury report before a game.
- Clark missed the May 20 game against Portland because of a back injury.
- She is posting career-high scoring numbers and remains among the league’s top assist leaders.
- Clark later returned to the lineup and continued playing for Indiana in August.
- Clark’s health and availability have remained recurring topics during Indiana’s 2026 season.
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This article was made with AI assistance and human editing.
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