“This could be the most injury-plagued season in WNBA history.” This warning isn’t hyperbole. Instead, it comes from league insiders who have tracked that nearly 901 games have been missed by 117 different players this season. This statistic has already surpassed last season’s numbers. However, for a team that hoped for a storybook run this season, these injuries have forced the roster into survival mode. And with Caitlin Clark’s ongoing health issues as the cherry on the cake.

Clark, who exploded onto the league with 19.2 points, 6.6 assists, and 4.9 rebounds per game as a rookie, has seen her sophomore season collapse under injuries. Besides, a daunting schedule and back-to-back away games have forced multiple players in and out of the lineup. Fever and HC Stephanie White’s constant roster reset, replete with rotating hardship signings, has made winning feel like a game of musical chairs.

That revolving door of players left even legends stunned. “I think it was Candace Parker. I heard her say that Aerial Powers is the 17th player to put on a Fever jersey this season. Does that sound right?” Sheryl Swoopes asked in disbelief on recent episode of The Women’s Hoops Show. Her stunned pause revealed exactly how chaotic Indiana’s roster roller coaster has felt lately. And the list is long.

Stephanie White has had to call on six hardship signees in one emergency move after another. Despite boasting an 11-player roster, White signed McDonald on a hardship deal in June, later upgrading her to a rest-of-season contract. Chloe Bibby came in next. Soon, Odyssey Sims, Shey Peddy, and Aerial Powers followed. But each move was less about building chemistry and strategic planning and more like plugging holes in a sinking ship.

Yet Indiana wasn’t the only team feeling the heat. “Yeah, it does sound right because there are so many hardships. And the Dallas Wings had to sign an extreme hardship, which I didn’t even know was a thing,” Jordan Robinson told Swoopes. Besides being eliminated from playoff contention, the Wings have endured their own nightmare.

They lost six players, including Luisa Geiselsoder, Tyasha Harris, JJ Quinerly, Arike Ogunbowale, Haley Jones, and Li Yueru, and dropped eight straight games so far. Naturally, head coach Chris Koclanes had no choice but to explore hardship and extreme hardship contracts, highlighting the widespread crisis that the injuries have become.

Indiana Fever, however, remains the poster child for resilience, moving with grit even as days close in on the franchise. “But the Fever had so many. They just signed Odyssey Sims to the rest of the season contract, which is like a week,” Robinson explained. “I don’t… maybe it’s just nine days left in the season, so they couldn’t sign Odyssey to another seven-day. But yeah, it’s bad. But they’re trying to hold on.“

With an unwavering resolve, the team rallies on each day. Already on a two-game losing skid, making the playoffs and going on a deep run seem like a far-fetched reality for the franchise. From Clark’s turbulent sophomore season to a constantly revolving cast of teammates, Fever’s journey sums up the WNBA’s biggest issue in 2025: overworked players, relentless scheduling, and rosters stretched to the breaking point. And with Clark’s return uncertain and playoff hopes fading, the question lingers. For how much longer can the Fever keep patching holes before the dam finally breaks open?

Caitlin Clark’s Return Met With a Cryptic Answer

A few days after a clip surfaced online featuring Caitlin Clark in practice, head coach Stephanie White shared her views on reintegrating the athlete into the active roster. In fact, reporter Scott Agness shared a clip on social media where White opens up on the latest Clark issue. The caption read, “Stephanie White on Caitlin Clark’s status and a decision to be made with three games left in the regular season.”

On being asked, “Does Caitlin have enough time,” White candidly shared, “Yeah, we really want to use this west coast trip to evaluate. We’re going to sit down after practice today and hopefully, have a direction soon.” Clark has missed out more than half her sophomore season due to injuries. She was diagnosed with a left quad sprain in May 2025, followed by two groin injuries and a bone bruise.

While the superstar tends to her injuries, HC White is ensuring that the roster stays afloat. With three games left and a two-game losing streak, can the Fever clinch a spot in the playoffs without Clark? As the team reaches Chicago ahead of the tipoff, it will be exciting to watch Clark step on the hardwood this year.