WNBA Report: Caitlin Clark still not cleared for contact near end of the regular season

With just over a week left in the WNBA’s regular season, Indiana Fever star guard Caitlin Clark is still not cleared for contact drills. However, Clark did some 5-on-0 work at Indiana’s shootaround prior to a loss in Phoenix on Tuesday.

Here’s what we know.

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Caitlin Clark

Clark, last year’s WNBA Rookie of the Year, has been out of the lineup since June 15 because of a right groin injury. She’s now missed 19 straight games and played just 13 games this season due to multiple quad and groin injuries.

Clark suffered another injury on Aug. 7, a bone bruise in her left ankle, but it’s unknown if that impacted her timeline to return to play.

Fever head coach Stephanie White was asked by reporters on Tuesday if Clark will return before the end of the regular season.

“That’s the hope,” White said. “She’s working as hard as she can to make sure that she is coming back or is capable of coming back. I think that the long-term viewpoint of her health and wellness is the most important thing.”

White has already said she wants to see Clark participate in multiple practices before she is cleared to return to game action. Because Clark’s on-court work on Tuesday was non-contact, it’s unlikely it would count as the type of practice White wants to see before Clark is cleared.

Indiana only has three remaining games left in the regular season. The Fever host Chicago on Friday and travel to Washington on Sunday before closing out the regular season at home against Minnesota on Sept. 9.

At 21-20, Indiana currently occupies the eighth and final playoff spot. The Fever are in a four-way fight with Golden State (22-18), Seattle (22-20) and Los Angeles (19-20) for the final three playoff spots.