Ian CasselberryContributing writerSun, April 19, 2026 at 4:03 PM UTC·3 min readThe Indiana Fever reported for 2026 training camp on Sunday and Caitlin Clark immediately addressed her status for the upcoming season.
The star guard told reporters that she is “100% healthy” after quad, groin and ankle injuries limited her to only 13 games last year. But Clark and Fever head coach Stephanie White have talked about being cautious with how many practice reps she goes through early on in training camp as she works her way back.
“I’m a person that doesn’t want to sit out a single rep, like I want to be in there every single time” Clark said, via the Indianapolis Star’s Brian Haenchen. “But I think just being a little bit smarter with my body… whether that’s recovery, whether that’s precourt treatment, whatever it is.”
Caitlin Clark on her #Fever return:“I was talking to (Stephanie White) a little bit, and I’m the person that doesn’t want to sit out a single rep. I want to be in there every single time. … None of that has changed, but just being a little bit smarter with my body. …” pic.twitter.com/U2eLdTi2Vl
Clark added that training and playing with the USA women’s basketball team during the FIBA Women’s World Cup qualifying tournament in March was a good experience, competing against the best players in the sport.
“You want to rise to the level of the people around you and then you also want to beat them, get on the court and compete,” she said.
While preparing for the World Cup qualifiers, Clark admitted that trying to work through her injuries rather than rest and recover properly may have resulted in her playing when she wasn’t fully healthy.
In her 13 games for the Fever last season, Clark averaged 16.5 points, 8.8 assists and 5 rebounds per game. She shot 28% on 104 3-point attempts.
Stephanie White asked by myself and @RomeovilleKid about the planning for Caitlin Clark and Kelsey Mitchell after injuries last year: pic.twitter.com/unkpy0BEp1
White said that Clark taking it slow — along with other players who dealt with injuries last season, including Kelsey Mitchell, Lexie Hull and Sophie Cunningham — also provides an opportunity for the Fever to work in players that they added in free agency, including guard Tyasha Harris and forwards Myisha Hines-Allen and Monique Billings.
“She doesn’t have to be out there every rep, just being mindful,” White said (via Tony East). “Every year that she gets older, she understands the cadence is a little bit different.”
The Fever also brought back several players from last year’s playoff team, re-signing Mitchell, Hull and Cunningham, while also inking forward Aliyah Boston to a four-year, $6.3 million contract extension that’s the richest total package in WNBA history.
Indiana finished 24-20, making the playoffs as the sixth seed. The Fever defeated the Atlanta Fever in the first round before losing to the eventual league champion Las Vegas Aces.