Caitlin Clark is facing a spell on the sidelines after injuring her back during the Indiana Fever’s loss to the Phoenix Mercury on Wednesday.
Fever head coach Stephanie White has now provided an update on when the WNBA superstar could return.
Stephanie White Provides Caitlin Clark Injury Update
Clark sustained a recurrence of the back issue that has been bothering her all season long during the Fever’s game against the Mercury on Wednesday.
The 6-foot-0 guard left the game in the third quarter, and White has now revealed that she will be forced to miss the Fever’s game against the Los Angeles Sparks on Saturday.
“She’s okay. She’s going to be out on Saturday. But she’s doing alright. No indication. Obviously, it’s a good time because we have all week next week,” White said to Fever reporter Chloe Peterson.
White also said that the Fever would prioritize Clark’s long-term health over rushing to get her back on the court. She added that the week-long break in the Fever’s schedule would allow them to get Clark back to full fitness.
“We’ll take this opportunity just to get her treatment, get her healthy, and get her back on the floor, and see what happens. It’s the same thing. Long term health and wellness is the most important thing,” she added.
Caitlin Clark is going to be out on Saturday, Steph White says.
“No indication” on how long she’ll be out, but White says their week off next week is a good time to get her treatment. pic.twitter.com/THPUQfekdv
— Chloe Peterson (@chloepeterson67) June 26, 2026
Clark, who has already missed one game this season due to her ongoing back issue, has been listed as probable on the injury report in recent games as the Fever staff looks to manage her workload.
It is unclear whether her injury was aggravated by the aggressive defensive approach the Mercury adopted against her on Wednesday. This led to a fierce debate on the officiating in the WNBA, with White calling out some of the calls during Wednesday’s game as “absolutely unacceptable” and “egregious.”
After the game, Alyssa Thomas was issued a one-game suspension for a Flagrant Foul 2 foul on Clark, where she appeared to throw her fist on the Fever superstar’s throat.
Despite dealing with back trouble and facing physical opposition defenses, Clark is enjoying a strong start to the season. She is averaging a career-best 21.2 points per game, while also providing 8.2 assists and 4.0 rebounds. The Fever are seventh in the WNBA standings with a 10-8 record.
