An injured groin limited Clark to just 13 regular-season games. Doctors ruled her out for the rest of the competition. She averaged 16.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, 8.8 assists, and 1.6 steals per game before the setback.
Even though the Fever reached the playoffs, her availability became a hot topic among analysts. Some believed she could return, but only her medical team had the authority to clear her.
A pointless criticism of Clark’s availability
According to Athlonsports, Skip Bayless argued that Clark should be playing for the Fever by now. He claimed the franchise could benefit greatly from her presence.
“Help me here. I know about groin pulls. I’ve had them. I’ve had hamstring pulls. I’ve had all kinds of pulls. A groin, if you give it two months, it should be fine… There’s so much treatment available today. And then you say: ‘Well, she obviously wouldn’t be game-shape ready.’ She’s Caitlin Clark!” Bayless said on Friday.
“I don’t get why Caitlin Clark is not playing basketball right now or at least trying to.” pic.twitter.com/xvJwDRdF8y
— The Skip Bayless Show (@SkipBaylessShow) September 26, 2025
Bayless insisted that Indiana had championship potential with Clark healthy. He suggested that even if she wasn’t at 100%, the coach could reduce her minutes. What mattered, according to him, was that Clark played some role in the playoffs.
“Why isn’t she trying to play a little, I don’t know, 10 minutes per night, 15 minutes per night? Is it depression? Is she afraid of falling back into the shooting slump depression? I don’t get it, but I don’t understand why Caitlin Clark is not playing basketball right now—or at least trying,” Bayless added.
Still, Clark’s doctors and the Fever organization hold the final say. The WNBA must protect a star who has brought massive attention to women’s basketball since 2024. That makes Bayless’ comments meaningless, especially considering Clark’s proven competitive spirit.
