Caitlin Clark’s celebration at home took a frightening twist due to a flagrant foul.

Clark’s Return to the Court Brings Mixed Emotions

INDIANAPOLIS — Caitlin Clark’s much-anticipated return to the court after nine months was meant to be a celebration.

However, things took a concerning turn for both the Indiana Fever and their fans on Thursday night.

During the third quarter, Clark was hurt after colliding with Dallas forward Alana Smith while attempting a shot. After the incident, which led to a flagrant foul call, she limped off to the bench. Despite the injury, she managed to sink two free throws before watching the rest of the game from the sidelines.

“I feel good. I just landed hard on my kneecap,” she mentioned postgame after scoring 21 points in the Fever’s 95-80 loss to the Wings. “I think the officials have been doing a great job with the calls. It’s preseason, so I expect lots of fouls, yet I believe the game will improve overall.”

Initially, it seemed like not much had changed since Clark last played on July 13 when the Fever faced Dallas. The pregame autograph line was long, with fans sporting her No. 22 jersey and T-shirts, just like during her record-setting rookie season. As expected, she received her usual cheers during player introductions.

Though it was just a preseason match, the attendance of recent Rookie of the Year winners like Clark and Paige Bueckers added some excitement. Fever fans had been eagerly awaiting this moment since Clark suffered a right groin injury on July 15, which made her miss the All-Star Game and the final stretch of the regular season, during which the Fever advanced to the WNBA semifinals.

“This is my first Fever game,” shared Nikki Nikun, proudly wearing the No. 22 jersey. “I’ve seen all their games on TV, but to watch them live is different. It’s just preseason, but I’m really excited!”

Clark had made her return earlier this year while playing for Team USA in the FIBA Women’s World Cup Qualifiers. She had also participated in the Fever’s preseason opener, contributing to a win despite struggling with her shooting.

In this game, though, Clark looked more like her old self, scoring 14 of her 21 points in the first quarter alone and contributing four assists, three turnovers, and two rebounds, going 4 of 6 from the field and 11 of 13 from the free throw line in 16 minutes.

“Our plan was always to take her out after that point,” said coach Stephanie White regarding Clark’s early exit. “The timing of her ejection was just precautionary.”

White also confirmed that All-Star center Aliyah Boston was sidelined again due to a lower leg injury. Meanwhile, All-Star guard Kelsey Mitchell added 10 points over 17 minutes.

Interestingly, not all fans were there solely for Clark. Some wore Bueckers jerseys, with her leading the Wings with an impressive 20 points in just 20 minutes. Rookie Aji Fuad, the top draft pick, scored four points as the Wings established a dominant 53-26 lead after a significant 22-5 run in the second quarter.

This performance might hint at possible improvement for a team that only managed 10 wins last season.

With several empty seats visible on Thursday night, longtime fans of Clark were nevertheless pleased to witness her return, marking the start of a season many hope will be special.