Clark has not participated in any basketball activities since she was injured on July 15

Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark smiles before a WNBA basketball game against the Los Angeles SparksAP

The 2025 WNBA season will undoubtedly be one that Caitlin Clark would prefer to forget, as she participated in only 13 games for the Indiana Fever. Yet, from the sidelines, she witnessed the team’s best campaign since 2015. Despite a season riddled with injuries, the Fever reached the semifinals, losing in five games to the eventual champions, the Las Vegas Aces. Given the Fever’s strong result without Clark, expectations for her third season will be even higher than her first two-a significant statement for arguably the most popular female athlete in the United States.

Clark Returns to Action in Exclusive Team USA Training Camp

Clark has not suited up for a competitive basketball game since July 15. Although reports indicated she would be available for the playoffs, the team wisely chose not to risk their present and future, knowing the 23-year-old has a full career ahead of her.

Today, a highly anticipated announcement confirmed that Clark will return to basketball activities on December 12. However, she won’t be with the Fever in the WNBA but rather at the USA Basketball Women’s National Team training camp.

This camp is highly exclusive and features an intriguing blend of talent. It includes first-time invitees Angel Reese, Paige Bueckers, and Cameron Brink, all among the rising WNBA stars expected to form the core of the team for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, where Team USA will seek its ninth consecutive gold medal.

Veterans on the roster include Olympic gold-medal winners Chelsea Gray, Brittney Griner, Kelsey Plum, Jackie Young, and Clark’s own teammate, Aliyah Boston. Clark has repeatedly expressed her desire to represent Team USA, making this moment particularly meaningful after her high-profile omission from the Olympic roster last year-a snub she openly admitted fueled her improvement during her Rookie of the Year season.

Camp Offers High-Stakes Experience for Clark

While the start of the WNBA season is still far off-and potentially even further, depending on negotiations between players and Commissioner Cathy Engelbert over a new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), Clark’s return to high-level play is great news. These Team USA practices are essentially a rigorous tryout. With so many elite players competing for very few roster spots, the camp offers a crucial opportunity for Clark to showcase her readiness and compete at the highest level of intensity, proving her injury is fully behind her.