Indiana Fever fans were stunned by the news that star Caitlin Clark will be out for at least the next two weeks due to a left quadriceps injury, presumably suffered during the team's practice. But there's something else in the Fever's announcement that makes it especially worrisome: the note that she's expected to miss a "minimum" of two weeks.
The team's official release reads, "Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark has suffered a left quadriceps strain and will be out a minimum of two weeks, the team announced today. Further updates will be provided, as available, following re-evaluation."
As several health experts have noted, the use of the word minimum could indicate the injury is more than mild. Physical therapist Dr. Evan Jeffries noted in a post shared on X that this might indicate Clark has a grade II injury, which could result in 3-6 weeks off the court.
What Caitlin Clark's injury could mean for the Indiana Fever
If Clark is only out for two weeks, she would likely return to the court in time for the team's game against the Atlanta Dream on June 10. Between now and then, the Fever are set to play the Mystics, Sun, and Sky, all teams they've recently beaten and are expected to handle fairly easily.
The Dream have proven to be tough opponents for the Fever, but it was also clear during the team's games that Atlanta largely focused on thwarting Clark's shooting attempts. Clark's absence gives the Dream plenty of time to come up with a game plan that is focused on other members of the Fever, but the team won't know if Clark will be on the court until much closer to the game. Whether this will benefit the Dream or the Fever remains to be seen.
The Fever's schedule also gets more difficult after that June 10 game. The team is set to host the Liberty again at Gainbridge in what will be their first meeting since the Fever's 90-88 loss on May 24.
A return date of six weeks from today would ultimately mean Clark won't see the court until July 7 — a date that feels like eons away for fans who love to see the young guard hoop.
The Fever will have to immediately being to build defensive and offensive schemes without Clark in mind, something that Coach White is likely to have put together anyway. The injury is disappointing, but will also give fans the opportunity to focus on other Fever players and cheer for the team when they will need it the most.