INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana Fever rookie Caitlin Clark exited Monday night’s game versus the Connecticut Sun with an apparent left ankle injury. Midway through the second quarter, Clark rolled her ankle, right before merging with Connecticut forward Brionna Jones’ ball-screen. 

“I turned it pretty good,” Clark said after the game. “I think it just got caught… I don't have the best ankles in the world… but yeah… every basketball player's had an ankle injury. If not, you’re not a true baller, I don’t know.”

Clark added, “So, It’ll be a little stiff but I'll be good.”

Clark reached for her ankle while laying on the ground. Fever head coach Christie Sides called timeout to check on Clark, who departed for the locker room. Postgame, Clark said her ankle was tight that morning, but she got it taped and swiftly in the locker room to return to the court. She joined the bench later in the second quarter, but didn’t re-enter until the start of the third.

Caitlin Clark injury in Fever vs. Sun

Fortunately for the Fever, Caitlin Clark played the rest of the game without any issue.

“Yeah, I was worried,” Sides chuckled afterward. “A lot of worry. But she is tough, she takes hits. You’ve seen the videos of her taking these hits on these screens … she didn’t want anybody to help her off the court. I love that about her… she walked it off herself, did what she needed to do to get back in the game.”

The Fever eventually lost 88-84 to decline to a 0-4 record. Forward Aliyah Boston missed what would’ve been the game-tying shot on Indiana’s last possession. The Sun came down the court and knocked down both free throws to win by two possessions. Sides doubled-down on the play call postgame, saying Boston had just made that shot prior, but it didn’t work that time. 

Clark ended with 17 points, tied with Kelsey Mitchell to lead the team. She shot 5-for-11 from the field, making three 3-pointers, with five turnovers and five personal fouls through 27 minutes. Notably, Clark cut her turnovers in half compared to when she had 10 at Connecticut in the season opener on May 9. Forward NaLyssa Smith backed up the guard-duo with 13 points. 

The Fever begin their three-game road trip at the Seattle Storm Wednesday night, looking for their first win of the season.