Caitlin Clark, the star player for the Indiana Fever, was captured on camera carrying a baby during a game at CFG Bank Arena in Baltimore while she was sidelined due to a quad injury. The incident occurred as Clark missed the game against the Washington Mystics. The child, identified as the son of Indiana assistant coaches Karima Christmas-Kelly and Austin Kelly, was featured in social media posts. The Indiana Fever lost the game in Clark’s absence.
Footage of Clark carrying the child was posted to social media by Yahoo Sports. The team announced on Monday that Clark will miss at least two weeks with the quad issue. However, Fever head coach Stephanie White said there is a silver lining to Clark not being able to play. “I think it’s a great opportunity for Caitlin to watch the game from the sideline, to grow in a coaching kind of mindset and see some different things that we might be talking about on film, addressing in practice, to see it develop in live action,” White said, via CBS Sports.
“As players you see [the game] in a micro viewpoint, and when you’re on the sideline, and you’re watching it as a whole, you get to see it a different way from a macro viewpoint. I think it’s gonna give her a unique perspective, and she’s gonna come back better, and it’s gonna help us be better,” White added. “It is great to grow when you’re on the floor, but you also see the game at different levels when you’re not on the floor, you often [equate] it to being in a coach’s mindset, being in a coach’s viewpoint. Listening to us and our conversations, whether it’s in practice or on the sidelines, talking about what our emphasis is, what we’re looking for, and you see it from a different perspective.”
Clark will be out for the team’s upcoming games against the Connecticut Sun and Chicago Sky. The earliest Clark would return is June 10 on the road against the Atlanta Dream. The loss to the Mystics in her absence highlights the challenges her absence poses for the Fever, as they struggle to find a replacement for her impact on the court. The incident has also garnered widespread attention, with fans and media alike sharing the moment on social platforms, showcasing the personal side of a professional athlete.