- Joined
- May 8, 2002
- Posts
- 1,129,603
- Reaction score
- 59
Indiana Fever coach Stephanie White told reporters that she didn't expect the team to be fined for how it handled star guard Caitlin Clark's first missed game of the season, and the WNBA proved her right on Thursday.
In lieu of any official punishment, the Fever was issued a warning for failure to properly update Caitlin Clark’s status ahead of the May 20 game against the Portland Fire, the league confirmed to USA TODAY.
Clark was ruled out at the last minute with a back injury on Wednesday, which raised some questions around the WNBA. The league requires teams to submit injury reports the day before a game by 5 p.m. in the time zone of the contest’s location. From then, teams are supposed to immediately inform the league with availability changes in the case that new injuries or illnesses arise. But Clark was not listed on the injury report on Tuesday, even though White said she pregame on Wednesday that Clark missed Tuesday's practice to receive treatment for her back.
White also said that Clark woke up on Wednesday with "stiffness and soreness in her back" the same issue that led Clark to head to the locker room and get adjusted during the Fever's season-opening loss to the Dallas Wings.
The league looked into the circumstances surrounding Clark's absence and evidently found enough room for reasonable doubt that the Fever intentionally circumvented league rules.
As previously reported by USA TODAY, the league is not bound to any firm set of mandates as it pertains to enforcing its own rules. Fines and other punishments are issued on a case-by-case basis with a team's past track record taken into account.
That could be why White told reporters "no, no," on Wednesday night when asked if she expected the Fever to be fined for failing to provide a prompt update on Clark’s status.
That exchange was part of a back-and-forth where White offered conflicting messaging surrounding Clark's back. White said the move for her to sit out was not part of a load management plan, but she also said that Clark was "healthy" and later added that the team didn't want to take any risks.
"Not everybody that doesn’t practice or gets a pro day is on the injury report. That happens all the time,” White said. “She wasn’t listed on the injury report earlier because we expected her to play."
In that case, the Fever should have added Clark to the injury report as "probable" at the minimum. Clearly the WNBA's warning was informative, as that's what the team did on Thursday as they updated Clark's status for Friday's game against the Golden State Valkyries.
Prompt injury reporting will likely be a continued point of emphasis for the Fever, as White said previously that Clark's back will be an "ongoing thing." Clark, the 2024 WNBA Rookie of the Year, was limited last season as she dealt with injuries to her left quad, both groins and left ankle.
Clark is averaging 24.3 points and 9.1 assists per game through four games this season. She’s shooting a perfect 23-of-23 from the free throw line, while ranking fifth in the league in scoring and first in passing.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: WNBA issues Indiana Fever warning for Caitlin Clark late-scratch
Continue reading...
In lieu of any official punishment, the Fever was issued a warning for failure to properly update Caitlin Clark’s status ahead of the May 20 game against the Portland Fire, the league confirmed to USA TODAY.
Clark was ruled out at the last minute with a back injury on Wednesday, which raised some questions around the WNBA. The league requires teams to submit injury reports the day before a game by 5 p.m. in the time zone of the contest’s location. From then, teams are supposed to immediately inform the league with availability changes in the case that new injuries or illnesses arise. But Clark was not listed on the injury report on Tuesday, even though White said she pregame on Wednesday that Clark missed Tuesday's practice to receive treatment for her back.
White also said that Clark woke up on Wednesday with "stiffness and soreness in her back" the same issue that led Clark to head to the locker room and get adjusted during the Fever's season-opening loss to the Dallas Wings.
You must be registered for see images
The league looked into the circumstances surrounding Clark's absence and evidently found enough room for reasonable doubt that the Fever intentionally circumvented league rules.
As previously reported by USA TODAY, the league is not bound to any firm set of mandates as it pertains to enforcing its own rules. Fines and other punishments are issued on a case-by-case basis with a team's past track record taken into account.
That could be why White told reporters "no, no," on Wednesday night when asked if she expected the Fever to be fined for failing to provide a prompt update on Clark’s status.
That exchange was part of a back-and-forth where White offered conflicting messaging surrounding Clark's back. White said the move for her to sit out was not part of a load management plan, but she also said that Clark was "healthy" and later added that the team didn't want to take any risks.
"Not everybody that doesn’t practice or gets a pro day is on the injury report. That happens all the time,” White said. “She wasn’t listed on the injury report earlier because we expected her to play."
In that case, the Fever should have added Clark to the injury report as "probable" at the minimum. Clearly the WNBA's warning was informative, as that's what the team did on Thursday as they updated Clark's status for Friday's game against the Golden State Valkyries.
Prompt injury reporting will likely be a continued point of emphasis for the Fever, as White said previously that Clark's back will be an "ongoing thing." Clark, the 2024 WNBA Rookie of the Year, was limited last season as she dealt with injuries to her left quad, both groins and left ankle.
Clark is averaging 24.3 points and 9.1 assists per game through four games this season. She’s shooting a perfect 23-of-23 from the free throw line, while ranking fifth in the league in scoring and first in passing.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: WNBA issues Indiana Fever warning for Caitlin Clark late-scratch
Continue reading...
