NEWYou can now listen to PK Press Club articles!
Indiana Fever star goalie Caitlin Clark left Thursday night’s preseason game against the Dallas Wings after colliding with one of their players.
Clark was seen limping onto the court after taking a step-back three-pointer and landing on the foot of Wings star defender Alanna Smith in the third quarter of the game. Upon landing, Clark told reporters after the 95-80 loss that she hit her knee hard when she fell after Smith’s foul.
Clark turned around on the court and tried to get out of it as she headed toward the Fever bench. The officials eventually reviewed the play and gave Smith, the reigning WNBA co-defensive player of the year, a Flagrant 1 foul for failing to give Clark a safe amount of space to land after the shot.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON PK Press Club
Indiana Fever goalie Caitlin Clark shoots the ball in the second half against the Dallas Wings at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis on April 30, 2026. (Trevor Ruszkowski/Imagn Images)
Clark left the game with less than eight minutes remaining in the third quarter.
She finished with a team-high 21 points despite missing most of the second half. Clark made two of his three three-point field goal attempts, while knocking down 11 of 13 from the free throw line. She also had two rebounds, four assists and a steal in the contest.
Since this was a preseason game, Fever fans were holding their collective breath watching Clark right now, especially considering the tumultuous season she had in 2025.
CAITLIN CLARK RETURNING TO WNBA COMPETITION AFTER INJURY IN 2025 DURING FEVER PRESEASON GAME
Clark played in just 13 games during her sophomore campaign, far from what she had hoped for after winning WNBA Rookie of the Year and setting the single-season assists record in 2024.
Caitlin Clark of the Indiana Fever brings the ball up the field against Odyssey Sims of the Dallas Wings during a preseason game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana on April 30, 2026. (Justin Casterline/Getty Images)
But it appears Clark avoided a serious injury that could have occurred in this situation. Being in someone’s landing zone after a shot can lead to serious injuries, including twisted ankles.
Fever head coach Stephanie White didn’t seem to want to push Clark and sat her down until the end.
The Fever have one more pre-season match on their schedule, as they take on the Nigerian national team on Saturday. Then it’s regular season basketball, with the Fever’s record-breaking first game against these same Wings in Dallas on May 9.
Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark questions a delay in game tip against the Dallas Wings during a preseason game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana, April 30. (Brian Spurlock/Sportswire Icon)
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE PK Press Club APP
The Wings are an intriguing team to watch, with Azzi Fudd, the No. 1 pick in this year’s WNBA draft, reuniting with UConn teammate Paige Bueckers to begin her professional journey. Bueckers led the Wings with 20 points Thursday night, while Fudd finished with four points.
