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Indiana Fever star guard Caitlin Clark exited Thursday night’s preseason game against the Dallas Wings after colliding with one of her players.
Clark was seen limping on the court after taking a step-back three-point shot and landing on the foot of Wings star defender Alanna Smith in the third quarter of the matchup. Upon landing, Clark told reporters after the 95-80 loss that he hit his knee hard when he fell after Smith’s foul.
Clark turned around on the pitch and tried to walk away as he headed towards the Fever bench. The officials ended up reviewing the play and gave Smith, the reigning co-WNBA Defensive Player of the Year, a Flagrant 1 foul for not giving Clark a safe amount of space to land after shooting.
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Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark shoots the ball in the second half against the Dallas Wings at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis on April 30, 2026. (Trevor Ruszkowski/Image Images)
Clark exited the game with less than eight minutes left in the third quarter.
He finished with a team-high 21 points despite missing most of the second half. Clark made two of his three 3-point attempts and was 11 of 13 from the free throw line. He also had two rebounds, four assists and a steal in the contest.
As this was a pre-season matchup, Fever fans held their breath watching Clark at the time, especially considering the tumultuous season he had in 2025.
CAITLIN CLARK RETURN TO WNBA COMPETITION AFTER 2025 INJURY IN FEVER PRESEASON GAME
Clark played in just 13 games in her sophomore campaign, far from what she expected after winning the WNBA Rookie of the Year award and setting the single-season record for assists in 2024.
Caitlin Clark of the Indiana Fever brings the ball up court 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 seemed like Clark avoided a serious injury that could have occurred in that situation. Being in someone’s landing zone after a shot can lead to serious injuries, especially sprained ankles.
Fever head coach Stephanie White didn’t seem to want to pressure Clark and sat her down the rest of the way.
The Fever still have one more pre-season match left on the calendar as they take on the Nigerian national team on Saturday. Next comes 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 late game call against the Dallas Wings during a preseason game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana, on April 30. (Brian Spurlock/Sportswire Icon)
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The Wings are an intriguing team to watch, with Azzi Fudd, the No. 1 overall 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.
