Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark said her decision not to play Wednesday because of back soreness was largely dictated by her confidence level in her body, particularly as she returns from a variety of injuries that limited her to 13 games last season.
"I think, at the end of the day, it's me and my confidence," Clark told reporters Friday before returning against the visiting Golden State Valkyries. "Coming back from injury and having however many soft tissue injuries [in 2025] is a real mental challenge."
Clark, who missed her first game of the season Wednesday in a win over the Portland Fire, acknowledged that though people expect her confidence to be steady, it can still be up and down.
"These are the best players in the world, and if I don't feel 100% confident in my body on Game 5 of the year, I don't know if that's really worth it in that scenario," she said.
Clark played 32 minutes Friday, posting 22 points and nine assists in a 90-82 win over the Valkyries.
"Yes, I played USA Basketball [this offseason], but I didn't play 32 minutes, super physical," Clark said postgame. "That's the difference for me right now, but I feel great. I think a lot of the times, it's for me the next day, understanding how my body feels and understanding that a little bit better. Obviously, your adrenaline is pumping, you don't always understand right after the game. ... Overall, I feel good. It's just continuing to take care of my body."
The Fever have six days before their next game, a rematch Thursday against the Valkyries in San Francisco.
Before Friday's tip-off, Clark detailed the lead-up to Wednesday's game, saying she received treatment Tuesday, which wasn't unusual for her, and approached Wednesday as if she was "100% playing." Once she woke up feeling a little sore Wednesday, Clark did some physical therapy at home, then got in a pregame workout and lift at Gainbridge Fieldhouse before deciding not to suit up.
The WNBA confirmed to ESPN on Thursday that it gave the Fever a warning after Clark, who White said did not practice Tuesday, did not appear on the injury report until 100 minutes before Wednesday's tip, at which point she was ruled out.
"My reaction [to the warning] is, for what?" White said. "Because we did things the right way."
White wasn't the only one who expressed frustration with the public reaction to the situation.
"Want to know what I ate for breakfast, too?" Clark asked sarcastically, before listing her morning meal in detail.
"I actually went back and looked because of all these narratives that are going crazy online, about when I told my mom I wasn't going to play the game: 4:47," Clark said. "You guys found out at 5:20. So one of the most important people in my life found out 40 minutes before you guys."
Clark said she feels she is putting her body in the best possible position to get through the season and feels good with where she's at physically. But she said that doesn't negate the mental hurdle that comes with returning from injuries, especially because she feels at times last year, she probably pushed her limits too much.
"I think there's moments where maybe I get in my head a little bit, and that's understandable," Clark said. "I need to have a little grace with myself. I need people to give me a little bit of grace, too. When you go through so many things, it becomes a little bit traumatizing, too."
Clark said she hopes her back soreness is not something that hinders her, adding that she's "doing everything I can to put myself in the best position I can recovery-wise ... and to play the next game."