It is abundantly obvious that Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark is not playing at a full one hundred percent. She left the game twice midway through the Fever’s Saturday 107–104 loss to the Dallas Wings. Television replays showed her rotating and stretching her back in discomfort.
Although Clark and Fever coach Stephanie White downplayed the concerns after the game, stating that it is not a serious issue, Jason Whitlock feels like there is more to it than meets the eye.
The former ESPN employee said, “There is something wrong with Caitlin Clark,” citing the injuries as the reason she has not been playing at the level she is commonly associated with.
“I think the NBA, the WNBA knows it, the Fever know it, the television partners know it, that there’s week one, game one, and you got a back brace, and you’re playing limited minutes. They know something’s wrong with Caitlin Clark,” Whitlock said recently on his podcast.
After putting up an MVP performance at the USA FIBA World Cup qualifying games, Caitlin Clark has struggled to find her rhythm over the last four games, including the preseason.
Against the Wings, she shot 7-of-18 from the field, including 2-of-9 from three-point range, as she finished with 20 points, seven assists and five rebounds. While it was still a decent outing for a player appearing in her first regular-season game since July 15, 2025, the subsequent sideline treatment, where she was spotted with a wrap on her back, left Whitlock concerned.
“I’m starting to come off as Stephanie White’s not incompetent, the Indiana Fever are not incompetent. They just have more information about her health than the public does, and they’re making decisions based on that information that we don’t know,” Whitlock added.
At this point, Clark cannot afford another injury. Last season, she was limited to just 13 games while battling multiple injuries.
What did the Fever coach say about Caitlin Clark’s injury?
Despite the headlines, both sides have somewhat dismissed the concern. Fever head coach Stephanie White downplayed the situation while speaking to reporters on Saturday, suggesting that Clark was simply trying to get her back adjusted as part of managing her body.
“I mean, look, when we’re all really young we don’t learn proper mechanics. And then it doesn’t get exposed until something happens. And trying to get her body mechanically the way that it needs to go, this is gonna be an ongoing thing.”
“Not just her. I mean, we’ve had multiple players who have gone back. We don’t have the blue tent, but they’re gonna go back and get adjusted, and make sure that the body’s working.”
Clark appeared to agree with the same sentiments as White, saying:
“It gets out of line pretty quickly. So just that, just getting my back put back in place a little bit. But other than that, I feel great.”
Clark and the Fever take on the Los Angeles Sparks on the road Wednesday night before returning for four home games. With all of the games featuring strong opponents, it would be hard to imagine Clark not being in the lineup. However, she is expected to continue receiving similar treatment on the sidelines until she feels fully healthy.
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