- WNBA. Paige Bueckers steps up to fill the void left by Caitlin Clark
- WNBA. Caitlin Clark, at the request of the Indiana Fever coaching staff, did not sit idly by: She reminds me of LeBron
Caitlin Clark's second season in the WNBA was expected to be the continuation of a meteoric rise, helping turn the Indiana Fever into legitimate playoff contenders. Instead, an early injury setback has forced the team to rethink its offensive structure and leadership hierarchy, with Aliyah Boston now expected to take charge.
Clark, the reigning Rookie of the Year, had not missed a game in her college or professional career before suffering a quad injury that is expected to keep her out for at least two weeks. That absence snapped a 185-game streak dating back to her NCAA days and cast a shadow over Indiana's promising start to 2025.
The Fever fell to 2-3 after a tough loss to the Washington Mystics, and with their star playmaker sidelined, attention is turning to Boston-the dominant forward who is averaging 16.8 points and 10 rebounds this season. ESPN's Logan Murdock, drawing comparisons to the 2000-01 Lakers, suggested this could be a turning point for Indiana if Boston embraces a more central role in the offense.
A new leader in the spotlight
"This reminds me of 2000-2001 Lakers season," Murdock said on The Ringer WNBA Show with host Seerat Sohi. "Kobe was out for like 15 games... and you saw the offence immediately go towards Shaq." That historical parallel frames Boston as the Fever's "Shaq" figure, expected to carry the team until Clark's return.
While the Lakers powered through that period to finish 56-26 and nearly swept the playoffs, Indiana has different challenges.
They lack the experience and cohesion of that legendary Lakers team, but they do have depth. The concern, though, is how serious Clark's injury could be.
Sohi warned listeners about underestimating quad injuries, noting that other WNBA players with similar issues missed up to six weeks. "If you are a Fever fan, don't even look into the NBA history because quads and their recovery time... are just not a fun worm hole to go down," she said.
Though initial estimates suggest Clark could miss four games, a clearer timeline will come after her reevaluation on June 9.
In the meantime, head coach Stephanie White is optimistic about the silver lining Clark's time off could provide. "Now she's going to see it on the sideline. She's going to be hearing us talk about it on the sideline from a coach's perspective... It gives her an opportunity to see it from a different lens," White explained.
Clark was off to a strong sophomore campaign before her injury, opening the season with a triple-double against the Chicago Sky and following it with a 27-point, 11-assist performance against the Atlanta Dream.
While her production can't be fully replaced, White is now counting on veterans Sydney Colson and Sophie Cunningham to help stabilize the backcourt.
Their next games will reveal if this team can adapt and grow in the face of adversity-or if Clark's absence is too significant to overcome.