A yr faraway from the left quad sprain that unraveled her sophomore season earlier than it started, Caitlin Clark walked into Indiana Fever coaching camp on Sunday, having discovered so much after an injury-impacted season that precipitated her to overlook 31 common video games and all the playoffs.
„I really feel nice. Tremendous excited to be again right here,“ Clark mentioned. „I believe I’ve an amazing perspective on camp and never taking something with no consideration. Clearly, this time final yr, I used to be going by means of some issues.“
Throughout 13 video games, Clark averaged 16.5 factors, 5.0 rebounds, 8.8 assists, and 1.6 steals in 2025. She missed the All-Star festivities Indianapolis hosted, watched the Fever’s run to the WNBA semifinals largely from the bench, and spent months in a job she had by no means occupied at any stage of basketball. She is absolutely cleared to enter this camp, with no restrictions, and she or he mentioned the work to get there was deliberate.
„I really feel actually wholesome and really feel like I’ve put myself able to be as wholesome as I could be to begin the season,“ Clark mentioned. „Simply staying on prime of that and having a whole lot of enjoyable.“
Clark Returns to Camp Wholesome
Clark, now in her third season, emphasised the significance of restraint quite than pushing herself too onerous to her personal detriment.
„I am the person who would not need to sit out a single rep. I need to be in there each single time,“ Clark mentioned. „I really like competing, and I really like taking part in, and none of that has modified. But it surely’s about being smarter with my physique and understanding what it takes.“
Stephanie White, again for her second season as head coach, mentioned she is going to pull Clark out of drills at factors throughout camp. The reasoning is much less about what Clark can deal with proper now than about what a 44-game schedule will ask of her by August.
„We have now to be conscious of reps. She would not want each rep in camp,“ White mentioned. „It is about managing her workload whereas integrating others. Depth will assist us preserve everybody recent.“
Clark said she and White have already had these conversations. She additionally mentioned she has come to grasp them otherwise than she might need a yr in the past.
„Camp days are actually lengthy, you are on the courtroom two and a half to 3 hours, so taking good care of my physique at this level within the season might be crucial factor,“ Clark mentioned. „Whether or not that is restoration or pre-court therapy, it is these varieties of issues. I’ve by no means actually sat on the sidelines earlier than, so it was a humbling expertise and gave me a great perspective on easy methods to be an amazing teammate and chief.“
Classes Discovered
The bodily work that introduced her to Sunday started lengthy earlier than camp opened. Clark described focused muscle-activation coaching and an expanded partnership with the Fever’s athletic coaching workers, and acknowledged the psychological element of getting back from harm as its personal impediment.
„I have been very intentional,“ Clark mentioned. „If you’re younger, you simply lace up and play, however that is not sustainable. There’s been a whole lot of focused work for muscle activation. I’ve constructed an amazing relationship with our athletic coach. She’s been unimaginable by means of this course of. There’s nonetheless a psychological facet to getting back from harm, however I do know I’ve carried out every little thing I can to be wholesome.“
Clark additionally used 2025 as a course in one thing she had by no means been requested to do. She mentioned the expertise of rehabbing whereas remaining current for teammates reshaped how she views her function, significantly on days she will not be on the ground.
„It’s extremely isolating to undergo rehab after which nonetheless present up as the most effective teammate you could be,“ Clark mentioned. „It taught me easy methods to affect the crew in several methods. I bought to be their greatest fan. That was an amazing expertise as a result of I’ve at all times been on the courtroom taking part in heavy minutes. If you’re not, you must discover different methods to contribute.“
Fever Retains Core
The runway again started in March at USA Basketball’s FIBA Girls’s World Cup qualifying event in Puerto Rico, the place Clark shared a backcourt with Fever ahead Aliyah Boston and labored below White. Clark known as it the best setting to recuperate her rhythm. Boston known as it a aid.
„Truthfully, she seemed like herself,“ Boston mentioned. „Seeing her again wholesome and taking part in at that stage made me actually completely satisfied.“
White zeroed in on one thing extra particular.
„Her tempo and decision-making,“ White mentioned. „She did not drive something and let the sport come to her. Her timing seemed actually good, which is tough after time away.“
Clark returns to a roster that appears so much just like the one she left, and that’s by design. Kelsey Mitchell signed the WNBA’s first supermax contract, a $1.4 million deal; Lexie Hull and Sophie Cunningham re-signed; free agent Monique Billings joined the frontcourt; and the Fever drafted level guard Raven Johnson. Boston, in the meantime, signed a four-year extension value $6.3 million, the best complete worth in WNBA historical past, after a lower-leg harm minimize quick her Unequalled season.
„I used to be tremendous blessed. God is nice,“ Boston mentioned of the extension. „Simply to be right here and get that extension, I am excited. The workers was excited, and I really feel like that is the place I am meant to be.“
Boston mentioned the rationale to remain was not difficult.
„Indy is a enjoyable place to be,“ she mentioned. „The basketball we’re taking part in is nice, the individuals are superb, and I really like taking part in with them. That is attractive, so why not keep?“
Clark gave credit score to the entrance workplace for working by means of a condensed free company, and mentioned the gamers who returned did one thing that advised her what she already suspected about final yr’s room.
„I believe it went nice. You need to give our entrance workplace credit score, it was a really condensed timeline,“ Clark mentioned. „I am actually grateful for the folks that needed to come back right here and for those that got here again. That speaks to what they skilled final yr and the way nice our locker room was.“
A 2026 Glimpse
Noting she will not be taking part in full minutes on Saturday, Clark gave perception into how the Fever could make themselves troublesome to protect. Clark did not hesitate to name herself „the most effective transition participant“ within the WNBA—a spot the place she „thrives.“
„I believe I am the most effective transition participant within the league,“ mentioned Clark on Media Day. „That is the place I thrive. All people is aware of my sport.“
Whereas she expects to be the first ball-handler off rebounds in transition, Clark will not be the one one initiating the offense. Positionless basketball is a subject of this period, and there are a number of gamers able to bringing the ball up the ground. That features Raven Johnson, Ty Harris, and even Aliyah Boston, who confirmed immense enchancment in facilitating final season.
„Getting the ball off a rebounder in transition, that is in all probability the place I will be the first ball-handler greater than something. Getting off the ball slightly bit and catching your breath, like it’s exhausting bringing the ball up 94 ft vs. stress each single time. We actually want to search out anyone that may deal with the ball slightly bit, give me slightly little bit of a break…
„You noticed AB do this so much final yr after we had been actually in bother injury-wise. I believe there’s so much various things that can provide us totally different seems and simply makes us more durable to protect.“
A Lengthy Approach to Go
White was not excited by softening something. A crew that got here one win wanting the WNBA Finals, she mentioned, has to demand extra of itself in 2026.
„We have taken one other step,“ White mentioned. „We have now to grasp what it takes every day. Put the crew first, prioritize chemistry, and count on extra of ourselves. It is about consistency and placing ourselves in place for fulfillment.“
White additionally sketched out a sharper identification on each ends of the ground.
„We have now extra dimension and may do extra defensively,“ White mentioned. „We needs to be a greater rebounding crew, which permits us to play sooner. We need to be prime three in protection and enhance our tempo.“
For Boston, the distinction with final yr is its personal benefit.
„It provides us a whole lot of confidence,“ Boston mentioned of getting into camp wholesome. „Final yr was chaotic, so having everybody wholesome and prepared provides us a recent begin.“
Clark was cautious Sunday to not body 2026 in championship-or-bust phrases, although she mentioned in a February NBC look that she believed the Fever can be the favourite to win all of it, and she or he didn’t stroll any of it again. What she provided as a substitute was an extended view of her personal arc, and a reminder that the résumé she is chasing has barely began.
„I’ve solely performed about 60 WNBA video games, so I’ve bought a methods to go,“ Clark mentioned. „Simply sustaining my well being is vital. USA Basketball was actually good for me to get again on the market and get my ft below me. You are taking part in with the most effective gamers on this planet, so there isn’t any higher setting. It brings out the most effective in you.“
She paused, then returned to the theme that framed every little thing else she mentioned.
„I’ve a protracted methods to go,“ Clark mentioned. „And that is the thrilling half.“
Indiana opens preseason play Saturday, April 25, on the New York Liberty, and begins the common season at house on Might 9 towards the Dallas Wings.
