Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark has been restricted to 13 video games this season because of three separate delicate tissue accidents to her left quad, left groin and proper groin. Throughout a current look on Sue Chook’s podcast, “Chook’s Eye View,” Clark mentioned her accidents and defined what she’s discovered to be the “most difficult” a part of her irritating season.
“I feel essentially the most difficult a part of all this — so clearly I’ve the primary harm, after which I sit out 4 video games, after which I come again and I play rather well and I really feel actually good,” Clark mentioned. “And even the start of the 12 months, like I performed nice, I began the 12 months actually good, I felt actually nice, my numbers had been nice, I used to be capturing the ball effectively, after which I get damage. And you are like, ‘OK, I gotta get wholesome, I am gonna do no matter I can to get again to the place I used to be.’ Come again, I play actually good, I play actually good the second recreation, after which we go on a highway journey and I wasn’t feeling the perfect. However as an athlete, you are like, ‘I do not wish to be delicate. Do I truly really feel one thing? Do I not?’ So I feel that is been the toughest half, simply the cease and go of every part.”
Clark has not performed greater than 5 consecutive video games this season. This is a have a look at her accidents:
- Could 3 (preseason game): Left quad
- Could 28 to June 10 (5 video games): Left quad
- June 26 to July 5 (5 video games — 4 common season plus the Commissioner’s Cup championship): Left groin
- July 16 to current (9 video games): Proper groin
Clark additionally lamented the truth that her accidents haven’t had a selected timeline.
“With the kind of accidents I’ve handled, it is not like, ‘Six weeks, you are coming again for the Connecticut Sun recreation on Aug. 30′ or no matter,” Clark mentioned. “It is like, ‘How do you are feeling?’ And even when I’ve been again, I do not understand how I am gonna really feel the following day after taking part in while you’re coping with these kind of accidents. I feel the endurance of coping with that and giving myself quite a lot of grace and simply attempting to be the perfect teammate I can. I miss being round my teammates and I miss working towards. I like follow. I like competing, I like speaking crap to the follow boys. That is one in every of my favourite issues and I have not been ready to do this as a lot.”
Spending a lot time on the coaching desk has been unusual for Clark, who previous to this season had not missed a recreation because of harm since she was in highschool. She mentioned that in the first place she “did not perceive” the ache she was feeling, however is aware of this expertise will assist her later in her profession.
“I’ve by no means been by means of something like this, and I feel that is most likely why it has been so laborious,” Clark mentioned. “I’ve by no means actually handled harm and that is most likely been a problem in itself as a result of once I first was feeling ache, I did not perceive it. I used to be like, ‘Am I simply tight? Am I simply getting previous? Do I have to hit a stretch? Do I have to get rubbed out? Do I want some Icy Sizzling? Like, what is going on on right here?’ So I feel it has been a stability of understanding my physique and whether or not it is this 12 months or subsequent 12 months, and even all through my profession, I’ll be very grateful for this second. I do know that is gonna assist me perceive my physique higher.”
When Clark has been capable of get on the ground this season, she’s struggled to discover a rhythm. Whereas she’s averaging 16.5 factors, 5 rebounds and eight.8 assists, she’s capturing simply 36.7% from the sector, together with 27.9% from 3-point vary. Notably, she is 2 of 35 from behind the arc on the highway.
The 17-14 Fever sit in fifth place and are in good condition to make the playoffs, however they’re going to want Clark again at full power in the event that they wish to make any noise.