After having missed five consecutive games due to a groin injury, Caitlin Clark made her comeback against the Golden State Valkyries. However, it seems her much-awaited return didn’t actually go like she must have planned.
On Wednesday, the Fever hosted the Valkyries at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Despite having a nine-point lead late in the first quarter, Clark’s team faced a devastating 80-61 loss.
While fans hoped Caitlin Clark’s return would help the Fever get their 10th win, instead, they tasted their 10th defeat of the season. All thanks to the Valkyries’ tight defence. They gave the host limited transition opportunities and used their deep and diligent squad to grind down their opponent.
After the humiliating loss to the Valkyries, Clark spoke to the media and talked about the struggles she faced during her comeback game.
Caitlin Clark Feels “Shorter Stints” Due To Injury Management Hindered Her Game
Although the Iowa-born returned from injury against the Valkyries, Fever employed a different starting lineup. Head Coach Stephanie White placed Clark into the first five along with guards Aari McDonald and Kelsey Mitchell. It is noteworthy that McDonald had been a crucial stand-in for Fever during the 2x WNBA All-Star’s absence.
The two had not previously appeared together in the same game until Wednesday. Thanks to the three-headed guard setup, Clark was able to play more off-ball and dart behind screens. Kayla Thornton, an All-Star guard who led Golden State on both ends, pressured her.
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After losing to the Valkyries, the Iowa-born star expressed her disappointment during the post-game interview. She spoke on how her injury management tactics affected her game this Wednesday.
“It’s gonna take me a second to get my wind back. Like I said, there’s not really anything that kind of replicates a true game. And I felt pretty good. I was trying to play shorter stints, but sometimes it’s almost harder to sit on the bench and then come back into the game. It’s just finding a balance of that, but just trying to get my legs under me,” Clark said, as per IndyStar.
Notably, the Indiana Fever started very strong. But, they couldn’t keep up the momentum going. At 7:43 in the second quarter, Indiana was 30-23. The Valkyrie had a nine-point lead at the half (41–32) and they went on a 24-2 run and opened a 15-point advantage after Indiana only managed two baskets over a roughly 10-minute span between the second and third quarters.
Despite the frustrating loss against the Golden State Valkyries, the Fever’s Head Coach, Stephanie White, backed Clark. Although she was disappointed due to their 10th loss this season, her comments on the Iowa-born star were overwhelming to hear.
Stephanie White Backs Caitlin Clark Despite Fever’s 10th Loss This Season
Despite a forgettable evening against the Valkyries, White drew some interesting positives from the game. It seems Fever’s Head Coach does have a huge problem, but not with her ace player.
During the post-game interview, Stephanie White addressed the team’s problems, but Caitlin Clark wasn’t among the list.
“I thought there was times she looked really good, especially the first play of the game,” White said. “Maybe I’m naive, I don’t worry about Caitlin Clark getting into the flow offensively…when we reintegrate her, how do we continue to keep our ball movement… I was little bit concerned defensively, but I thought she looked good at times… I was pleased.”
Stephanie White on Caitlin Clark
— Moreau Sports Media Prod Co. (@MoreauSportsCo) July 9, 2025
"I thought there was times she looked really good..especially the first play of the game…maybe I'm naive, I dont worry about Caitlin Clark getting into the flow offensively…when we reintegrate her, how do we continue to keep our ball…
Although Stephanie White was disappointed in her team, she was all praise for returning Clark. However, as White said, if the Fever continues to loosen their defense, it will be a huge problem in the long run.
It is noteworthy that the Indiana Fever is currently standing 7th. They will face Atlanta Dreams next on July 11, 2025. And all fans can do is hope for Clark and Co. to bounce back and get back to their winning ways.
Also Read: Caitlin Clark Gets Brutally Honest On Massive WNBA All-Star Trade: “I Don’t Really Care”