While the WNBA world wanted to know every single detail surrounding Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark's back issues since the start of the season, WNBA legend Sue Bird downplayed it as a "nothing burger".

Speaking on the latest episode of her podcast with co-host Megan Rapinoe, A Touch More, Bird addressed that Clark is just being cautious with her body after coming off a long-term injury, and used herself as an example that she also used to miss practices the day before a game.

"First and foremost, there's really nothing to be said here. It is so normal for a player to not practice the day before a game and it mean nothing. It is also possible to wake up the day before a game and something happened, where you don't feel good, and you don't play," Bird said.

This comes after Clark's name was not mentioned in the injury report ahead of the game against the Portland Fire. However, the 24-year-old skipped the game entirely and did not play a single minute due to recurrent back issues.

Thankfully for the Indiana Fever fans, Clark returned to the game against the Golden State Valkyries and did her usual thing, scoring 22 points and 9 assists after playing for 32 minutes.

While this is a strong sign that her back soreness is not an instant crisis, Clark has acknowledged this issue and is conscious of it. She has also spoken about the mental side of returning from injuries after missing the Portland game.

“At the end of the day, it’s me and my confidence. Coming back from injury and having however many soft tissue injuries is a real mental challenge.”

While Clark has not rung the alarm bells for her back soreness, the Fever still needs to be very careful around this issue.

Why the Fever's Caution Around Caitlin Clark Makes Sense

While Clark's calm message about her back soreness is reassuring, the Fever should still exercise caution. After all, we are discussing their franchise player and one of the standout figures in the WNBA.

Clark's sophomore season with the Fever last year was ruined by a series of lower-body injuries that limited her to just 13 games. She was not able to participate in the playoffs either, as the Fever crashed out of the semifinals against the eventual champions, the Las Vegas Aces.

The Fever is striving for the title this season, and keeping Clark healthy is the top priority to have a chance at reaching the WNBA Finals for the first time since 2015.

So, what do you think is the best way the Fever should monitor Caitlin Clark's back soreness? Let us know in the comments.

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Written by

Joy Bassy

Edited by

Joy Bassy