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By Matthew Couden
Contributing Writer
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Caitlin Clark had a rough past season in the WNBA, as the Indiana Fever star was out most of the season and unable to play in any of her team's exciting run into the postseason.
However, the basketball superstar returned to the court healthy several months ago as part of Team USA during the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup Qualifying and earned MVP honors for her contributions.
With that, she looked ready to return to form for the Fever, and participated in their first preseason games of the season, but another injury scare hit as Clark was limping on the court after a play. There were no serious reports of any injury, but a recent development raised further concerns.
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Clark wore a leg brace during a recent Fever practice, prompting curiosity about what it might indicate regarding any potential injuries.
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"I knew that would be the first question. Just a little compression on my leg. I don't know," she told reporters, without elaborating much further.
Video footage from a Fever practice emerged Tuesday, and Clark seemed to be shooting fine with no serious issues, which is exactly what her team is hoping for in her return.
However, they also don't want a repeat of what happened last season. The 2024 WNBA Rookie of the Year and two-time All-Star played in only 13 games for the Fever due to a right groin injury, which kept her on the sidelines.
The Fever looked good in their first preseason game, winning 109-91 over the New York Liberty behind 18 points each from Kelsey Mitchell and Shatori Walker-Kimbrough. Clark finished with seven points on 2-of-10 shooting to go with four assists and three rebounds.
They've played another preseason game since then, falling 95-80 to the Dallas Wings on April 30, which featured last year's No. 1 pick, Paige Bueckers, and this past draft's top pick, Azzi Fudd.
Clark fared better in that game, scoring 21 points, with the bulk of those points at the free-throw line. That's also the preseason game where she limped after a Flagrant 1 foul on the Wings, but it seems there aren't any major injury concerns yet.
If she can remain healthy for this season, Indiana seems to have an excellent chance at contending for the championship. They've brought back core players, including Lexie Hull and Sophie Cunningham, who is also back from injury.
Along with that, they signed frontcourt All-Star Aliyah Boston to a lucrative new deal, and drafted dazzling rookie guard Raven Johnson from South Carolina to help off the bench when necessary.
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