Clark has had the pressure of living up to the hype since she entered the league. If she can handle that, she can handle playing through the groin injury.
When Caitlin Clark played her first season in the WNBA last year, it was the start of “the summer of Caitlin” every summer.
Clark’s rookie year had its ups and downs, but overall, it was a success that culminated in her winning the WNBA Rookie of the Year award along with a playoff appearance. It was a fun ride. Indeed, this experience would become something to look forward to every summer.
But life is not a fairy tale, and it is no different in sports. It can be not kind. Clark is going through a tough time right now. She has been out for a while with another groin injury. There’s no timetable for when she will return. The guess is that she may return in mid-August.
Go back to the preseason when she had a tightness in her quad, which caused her to miss a preseason game against the Washington Mystics on May 3. Then she missed two weeks of the regular season this year after suffering a quad strain against the Liberty on May 24, which resulted in a five-game absence. She missed a total of 12 games, including Tuesday night against the New York Liberty. It has become a mental challenge for her now, whether she can play through her injury that will last the entire season. It’s easy to have doubts.
Catlin Clark earlier this season (photo, USA Today)
There’s no way the Fever will rush her back. If she gets hurt again, she could be out for the season, and that means the Fever’s playoff hopes would be all but gone. No one could have imagined this, certainly not Clark. Remember, she never had injury issues in her career. This year is the first time she has experienced this.
Teams won’t go easy on Clark. If anything, players will relish being physical with her more than ever. Three players were guarding Clark recently.
The Connecticut Sun had a game plan to maim Clark last week in the game at Boston, and it worked. They had no interest in winning the game since they are the worst team in the WNBA.
This is what Diana Taurasi meant when she said Clark would face reality upon entering the league. She mentioned that the WNBA players would play physically, which Clark would have to experience after not dealing with that in college. It’s up to Clark to show she is up for it.
Already, critics think she is too soft to play in the league, which is so foolish. Clark will toughen up. The great ones always do. She is going to have to add some muscle. She is going to have to work out even harder. All of this is doable since she is a world-class athlete.
Coach Christie Sides with Clark in 2024 (photo courtesy 21Alive, Fort Wayne, IN)
The Fever star went through a rough stretch in her rookie season, but she figured it out in the post-Olympic break. She went on a nice run that was good enough to lead the Fever to the playoffs and win the Rookie of the Year award outright. Teams did not play any differently on defense.
Clark can undoubtedly do it again. She is not soft, and she is not a quitter. She has always been a determined player to accomplish what she wants. She may be frustrated with what she’s going through, but she will not back down on this. Astonishingly, some people believe she might give in.
Remember that Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, and Michael Jordan all faced adversity in their first few seasons. Their talent and greatness helped them to persevere. It shouldn’t be any different when it comes to Clark. Clark will adapt to the physical defense. She will go to school on her defenders. No one prepares more than her.
It wouldn’t be surprising if she goes on a tear in August as she did last year.
Clark has had the pressure of living up to the hype since she entered the league. If she can handle that, she can handle playing through the groin injury.
Count Clark out at your own risk!
