The WNBA issued a warning to the Indiana Fever this week after the team announced Caitlin Clark would miss Wednesday's game against the Portland Fire around two hours before that game began. The league requires that injury reports are submitted the day before a game by 5 pm in the game's time zone, which means the team should have included the update about Clark on Tuesday. If a new injury or incident arises, teams are supposed to notify the league immediately.
It didn't seem like the Fever intentionally dodged updating the league until the last minute, and Clark wasn't listed on the injury report Tuesday. While speaking to reporters ahead of Wednesday's game, Stephanie White said Clark missed the team's practice Tuesday to get treatment. She also said she doesn't think Clark will miss games going forward, but emphasized that she is not a medical professional and the decision doesn't rest with her.
Some thought the Fever might be fined for the mishap, something White also disputed.
The warning is justified, and the Fever — like every other team in the league — will have to heed it going forward. That's an especially salient point to make considering that the Connecticut Sun did nearly exactly the same thing the Fever did, but so far haven't received a lot of attention for it.
UPDATED Game Status Report vs. Seattle Storm 5.20.26
— Connecticut Sun PR (@CTSunPR) May 20, 2026
Brittney Griner - OUT (Right Rib) https://t.co/pRBed7PDBb
The Sun's PR account on X announced Brittney Griner would miss their own Wednesday night game against the Seattle Storm just before 5 pm local time (the game was played in Seattle at Climate Pledge Arena). The game started at 7 pm local time; as noted above, the Fever initially shared the news about Clark about two hours before their match as well.
Griner was reported as out with a right rib injury, a late scratch that could have cost the Sun the game. The team prevailed and managed an 80-76 win over the Storm, a boost the Sun need at this momnt in the season. So far, it doesn't seem that the Sun has been issued a similar warning, nor does it seem that Griner's late injury report has received the amount of attention that Clark's has.
This isn't a huge surprise. The attention that surrounds Clark and, as a result, the Indiana Fever, can be overwhelming for everyone involved at times. The team is held to a certain standard as a result, and required to cater to the expectations of fans, especially those who are ardent users of social media, in a way that other teams simply aren't. That double standard might not be fair, but it's something the team has to continue to navigate, and something the rest of the league will continue to learn from.
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