During her pregame media availability before Friday night’s home game against the Chicago Sky (10-30), the Indiana Fever (21-20) provided their reasoning behind the decision to shut down Caitlin Clark’s 2025 season on Thursday.
While Clark has taken considerable steps in her recovery process over the past two weeks, the former Hawkeye has been absent from game action during the previous 19 games since suffering a right groin injury on July 15.
“I think just having a conversation with her and collaborating, and we knew that that West Coast road trip was going to be a big one to see where we could get and how far we could get. And I think at the end of the day, she’s been working her butt off to be able to get back, and we’ve kind of run out of time to be able to do it in a safe way, in a safe manner,” head coach Stephanie White said. “And I think we’ve all been very open and up front with her long-term health and wellness as the most important thing. To be in a position that you need to be in to play at this time of the year, we just ran out of time to get her there.”
White also explained that Clark was obviously disappointed with the decision, as she had invested a great deal of effort to be in a position for a possible return, but reiterated that the star’s long-term health and well-being are of the highest priority for the organization moving forward.
“I mean, it’s frustrating, first and foremost, just with all the injuries she’s had. Obviously, I wouldn’t speak for her, but the amount of work she’s put in to put herself in a position to play and then to ultimately have to make this decision — it’s tough. There’s disappointment, there’s frustration with not being fully healthy for an entire season,” White added. “But at the end of the day, the big picture is what matters most. Those are the conversations we continue to have, and the message has always been the same: her long-term health and wellness, and making sure she’s 100% when she’s ready to go, are what’s most important.”
Steph White on how they came to the conclusion to shut Caitlin Clark down for the season and the emotions CC felt on that decision:
“The amount of work she’s put in to play and to ultimately come to this decision, there’s disappointment.” pic.twitter.com/VPmVYPKNkr
— Chloe Peterson (@chloepeterson67) September 5, 2025
Despite narratives accusing the Fever organization of purposefully misleading fans on the star guard’s injury status for some form of financial gain, it is clear from White’s statement and Clark’s announcement that the decision not to rule her out was to allow the two-time WNBA All-Star as much time as possible to return to 100% health.
As for the immediate future of this season’s Fever squad, they will maintain all four hardship waiver contracts agreed to with Shey Peddy, Aerial Powers, Odyssey Sims, and Bree Hall through the final two games of the regular season and the entirety of the 2025 WNBA Playoff run (if qualified).
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This article originally appeared on Hawkeyes Wire: Fever detail decision to shut down Caitlin Clark due to injury
