This would put a serious damper on an exciting homecoming. Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever are slated to play the Brazil National Team at Carver-Hawkeye Arena — home of the Iowa Hawkeyes — on Sunday, but a leg injury to Clark might keep her out of the action in her homecoming game. While there isn't an official designation for preseason games, Fever head coach Stephanie White said, "Hopefully she'll be ready tomorrow," according to the Indy Star.
Clark missed Indiana's preseason opener against the Washington Mystics on Saturday. She said before the game that she felt "a little tightness," but still wanted to go through warmups, making her a true game-time decision. She did not end up playing, and the Fever won 79-74 without her.
Of course, Sunday's game holds a little more weight than Saturday's, as Iowa fans eagerly await Clark's return. Tickets for that game sold out almost instantly, and a packed house is expected in Iowa City.
Clark and the Fever have championship hopes
Even though Sunday is a homecoming and will be played in front of a massive, raucous crowd, it is still a preseason game against a non-WNBA opponent and teams want to be cautious with superstars. Indiana has championship hopes in Clark's second year after a playoff appearance last season, the first for Indiana since 2016.
Clark will undoubtedly want to play in the game — which makes sense, considering this game was scheduled for her — and my gut says it'll be tough for coach Stephanie White to object.
WNBA schedules preseason games at colleges
I love this whole thought process from the league. The Fever are playing at Iowa on Sunday, the Chicago Sky played at LSU — alma mater of Angel Reese and Hailey Van Lith — and the Aces played their first game at Notre Dame, where Jackie Young and Jewell Lloyd both attended.