Indiana Fever fans were forced to grapple with an injury report that initially seemed troubling Saturday, the first day of the 2026 WNBA preseason. Several players were listed as out with various injuries. Though there were credible reports that most of the players missed the team's game against the New York Liberty out of an abundance of caution, several fans instantly thought of last season and the injury report that preceded Caitlin Clark's season-long battle to stay healthy.
Ahead of the game the Fever announced four players — Aliyah Boston, Damiris Dantas, Ty Harris, and Lexie Hull — would miss the game due to a litany of injuries. Boston was out due to a lower leg injury, Harris for her knee, and Hull for her hamstring (Dantas is not currently with the team).
Fever reporter Chloe Peterson noted that the decision for each player to miss the game was "precautionary" but that did little to assuage the fears of some fans. As many likely remember, Clark was initially listed as unavailable during preseason games last year before she ultimately was unable to play for most of the season. There's no reason to believe any of these injuries will be longterm or impact the team's prospects this season, but for some fans, just the possibility is challenging to deal with.
The Indiana Fever defeated the New York Liberty
The Fever came away from the team's first game of the season with a 109-91 win over the Liberty. The team took the opportunity to play several rookies during Saturday's match, which gave fans a glimpse at what draft picks Justine Pissott, Raven Johnson, and Jessica Timmons offer.
Clark played just under 17 minutes and put up 7 points, 4 assists, and 3 rebounds in what is her first WNBA showing since last year. She told reporters ahead of the game she was "super, super excited" to be back on the court, even if preseason games don't count toward a team's total wins.
Clark delighted fans who were happy to see her back by hitting her first two shots within the first minute and a half of play. Though she wasn't on the court as long as a lot of fans are used to, she showed that she's more than ready to be back on the floor. The Indiana Fever will next play the Dallas Wings on April 30 for their final preseason game, before meeting the Wings again on Saturday, May 9.
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