Fever warned by WNBA for leaving Caitlin Clark off injury report

The WNBA has issued a warning to the Indiana Fever after star guard Caitlin Clark was initially left off of the injury report before Wednesday’s matchup with the Portland Fire.

Clark was ruled out with a back issue less than two hours before the game tipped off. Head coach Stephanie White told reporters that she did not practice on Tuesday. Her statement was less than crystal clear.

“There’s no managing. She’s healthy. We’re not managing anything. This is just a back issue that we want to make sure we give the time to be ready.”

When asked why Clark was left off of Tuesday’s injury report, White said not every player who takes a practice off is typically listed.

“Not everybody that doesn’t practice or gets a pro day is on the injury report,” White said. “That happens all the time. And she wasn’t listed on the injury report earlier because we expected her to play.”

WNBA rules state that teams must player injuries and illnesses by 5 p.m. local time the day before a game takes place. Since they failed to do so with Clark, they’ve now been warned by the league while avoiding a fine or further punishment.

The Fever have not been clear or detailed about what kind of issue Clark is dealing with, but she is listed as probably to play in Friday’s matchup against the Golden State Valkyries.

James Parker is a sports writer for Ball Exclusives, follow him on @TheJames_Parker

About the Author Published May 21, 2026

JAMES PARKER

James Parker is a sports reporter and writer for Ball Exclusives. With a bachelor's degree earned at the age of 19, he’s spent years working as a sports journalist, including an award-winning stint at The Appalachian. He has never used AI for his work in any way, shape or form.