Caitlin Clark out for Fever's 2025 preseason opener vs. Mystics with left leg injury

Caitlin Clark will not play in the Indiana Fever's preseason opener versus the Washington Mystics on Saturday due to a left leg injury, the team announced shortly before game time.

Clark was listed as questionable on the injury report released by the Fever on Friday evening, citing the left leg issue without providing more specifics. When speaking with reporters during Saturday's morning shootaround, she said she was experiencing "just a little tightness" and a decision would be made on her status during pregame warmups.

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The 2024 WNBA Rookie of the Year appeared to get through warmups with no issue, but the Fever is likely exercising caution with back-to-back games to begin the preseason. Clark was not in the team's announced starting lineup for Saturday. Sydney Colson started at guard alongside Kelsey Mitchell.

Fever coach Stephanie White said any decision on Clark will be made with her long-term status in mind.

"We got to look at the long term. We gotta make sure that we're not putting Caitlin at risk for injury," White told reporters. "We are thinking short term, not long term. It's a long season."

The Fever are also scheduled to play a preseason exhibition on Sunday versus the Brazil National Team on Clark's former home at Iowa's Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Tipoff for that game is set for 4 p.m. ET and will be televised on ESPN.

Clark won Rookie of the Year honors after the Fever selected her No. 1 overall in last year's WNBA Draft. She averaged 19.2 points, 8.4 assists and 5.7 rebounds while shooting 34% on 3-pointers, helping Indiana to its first playoff berth in eight seasons.