Transcription
Caitlyn Clark takes over as Fever head coach before letting emotions known about missing WNBA playoffs. Despite being injured, there is no shortage of Caitlyn Clark at Indiana Fever games. The 23-year-old phenom was once again active on the sidelines during the Fever's 83 to 72 win over the Minnesota Lynx on Tuesday, just days after she revealed her season is over. Clark is attending most Fever games despite her season being shut down due to injury.
There wasn't much at stake for both sides during their clash as the Fever clinched their postseason position on September 7th and the Minnesota Lynx have already locked up the top seed. Nevertheless, both sets of players dueled it out in a thrilling game. The Fever raced to a 10-0 lead in the opening few minutes after Odyssey Sims' mid-range bucket. With the Lynx under pressure, a timeout was clearly needed. But it was Clark who jumped out of her seat, as ESPN footage showed, preemptively calling a timeout herself as if she knew Fever head coach Stephanie White was also going to call one. And indeed, she did, as White followed Clark's lead and gathered her team to the sidelines.
Fans online loved Clark's behavior, with the 23-year-old still playing an active role on the Fever despite not being available for the rest of the season. "Caitlyn Clark staying involved despite the injury. Love the energy on the sideline," one fan said on X. "Still engaged in the game. Great player," another wrote. "Caitlyn Clark calling a timeout for the Lynx is pure gold," one fan said. "Caitlyn Clark's head coach duties. You'd be forgiven for mistaking Clark as the Fever's head coach." Along with calling timeouts, she was also captured giving speeches and devising plays during her team's breaks. At one point, she was seen handing out instructions and lecturing her teammates amid a mini Lynx comeback, something which never materialized. Those who have kept up with Clark will know her active role on the sidelines is nothing new. Last season's WNBA Rookie of the Year has been seen berating officials from the bench on more than one occasion.
Clark posts heartfelt message on Instagram. But despite the intense role she may be enjoying off the court, Clark has made it clear she wants to be back on the court. On Instagram, she posted a black and white photo of her celebrating a shot with a simple caption. "I miss this so bad," she wrote, as she continues to battle an injury that has kept her out of action for two months. Clark has struggled with injuries all season. Clark, whose on-court rival Angel Reese has also suffered injuries this season, has endured a doomed sophomore season from the beginning. She picked up her first injury before preseason began and was forced to sit out the Fever's first preseason game in May due to quad tightness. Then, four games into the regular season, she suffered a left quad strain that saw her miss five games, but upon returning, she suffered a left groin sprain after five games. Clark returned on July 9th against the Golden State Valkyries, but less than a week later on July 15th, she injured her groin again, and ever since the WNBA star has been out.
The Fever have clinched a playoff spot, but will not know their final seating or opponent until later in the week. They could potentially move up to the number six seed, depending on results elsewhere. The first round of the 2025 WNBA playoffs will begin Sunday, September 14th, with the seven-game WNBA Finals set to commence on Friday, October 3rd. Stay up-to-date with the latest from the WNBA across all platforms. Follow our dedicated Talksport USA Facebook page and subscribe to our Talksport USA YouTube channel for all the offseason news, interviews, and more.
The Indiana Fever locker room didn't sound like the inside of a professional basketball team's headquarters. It sounded more like a college campus classroom, buzzing with nervous laughter, shifting sneakers, and the occasional clang of a water bottle against the floor. What made it stranger was who stood at the whiteboard with a marker in hand. Not Christy Sides, not an assistant coach, not even the general manager. It was Caitlyn Clark.
The rookie phenom, known around the league for her no-look passes and logo-range threes, was scribbling out a new play. Her ponytail was loose, her Fever warm-up shirt tucked haphazardly into sweatpants. She looked less like a coach and more like the team's most competitive player trying to convince everyone to follow her lead. But in that moment, Caitlyn was the coach. Christy Sides had stepped aside for the night, wanting to give her star guard and emotional centerpiece an outlet after the Fever were officially eliminated from playoff contention. Clark, burning with competitive fire, had volunteered. "Let me run this one," she said. "And to everyone's surprise, the team agreed. A coach in sneakers."
"Okay, so here's what we're going to do," Clark said, tapping the board like she had been doing this her whole life. "We've got nothing left to lose, right? So, let's play like it. Angel, you cut hard through the middle. Nelissa, you own that elbow jumper. And if the defense collapses," she grinned, stepping back from the board, "you know I'm pulling from 30." The locker room erupted in laughter, tension broken. The Fever had battled injuries, blown leads, and the relentless grind of a league that tested every ounce of their youth. The playoffs were gone, but the pride wasn't. Clark's impromptu role as coach was her way of telling the team that their fights still mattered.
The game that didn't count, but did, from the sideline. Clark paced in sneakers instead of heels. She shouted rotations, clapped her hands until they stung, and even pulled the classic coach's crouch near midcourt. Every possession became personal. When Kelsey Mitchell buried a three, Clark leapt higher than anyone on the bench. When Aliyah Boston forced a turnover, Clark nearly ran onto the court before stopping herself, pointing and screaming, "That's how you do it!" The Fever played like they had been unleashed, not afraid of mistakes, not weighed down by what could have been. And when the final buzzer sounded, Indiana didn't just win, they looked alive again. The scoreboard wouldn't fix the playoff bracket, but it fixed something deeper inside the team.
The press conference. After the game, Caitlyn walked into the press room, still in her sweater-drenched warm-ups, hair matted against her forehead. A reporter jokingly asked if she was about to apply for the head coaching job. She laughed, but her eyes told a different story. "Look," she said, leaning into the microphone. "Tonight wasn't about me pretending to be a coach. It was about reminding us what we're capable of. The playoffs slipped away, and that hurts. It hurts more than I can put into words. I hate losing. I hate not being there when the stakes are highest. But if all we did was pack it in after elimination, then what was the point of this season?" Her voice wavered, the bravado peeling back. She pressed her lips together before continuing. "I came here to win every game, every possession. And yeah, I know it doesn't always happen right away, but missing the playoffs, it stings. I've never been good at hiding how I feel and I won't start now. I hate it. I absolutely hate it." For a moment, silence filled the room. Then she leaned back, exhaled, and cracked a half-smile. "But hey, my coaching record is officially undefeated, so maybe I've got a backup plan." The room chuckled, but the emotions still hung in the air.