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When Caitlin Clark quickly lived up to her name and hype in her rookie season, many believed she immediately became the face of the WNBA.
In her sophomore season, Clark and the Indiana Fever seemed on pace to make noise in the postseason with a possible run towards the WNBA Championship.
Unfortunately, the Fever superstar’s season was impacted last month when she suffered a groin injury against the Connecticut Sun.
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She’s since been sidelined, cheering and supporting her teammates through wins, losses, and other struggles.
As she prepares to return at some point, a former WNBA legend shared some significant advice that could assist her journey.
Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images
Cynthia Cooper-Dyke was one of the original superstars in the WNBA, achieving numerous accolades and four championships while playing for the now-defunct Houston Comets.
During CBS Sports’ We Need to Talk, she was a guest and gave her advice for Clark’s tough decision about when to return to the hardwood.
“It’s difficult coming back from any muscular issue, especially a groin, and to play at her level,” Cooper-Dyke said, praising Clark’s game as “another level.”
“I know how frustrating it is for her to want to perform and want to be there for her team and not be able to do it and not be able to give Um, but I also know how important it is for her to heal. You got to heal,” the WNBA legend said.
“You can’t go through a season dipping in, coming out, going in, coming out, dipping in, getting sitting back down. Just heal. Because when we see Caitlin Clark, we want to see the real Caitlin Clark,” Cooper-Dyke said.
Cooper-Dyke appeared in the WNBA from 1997 through 2000 and returned in 2003. In addition to winning four WNBA championships with Houston, she was a four-time WNBA Finals MVP, two-time WNBA MVP, three-time scoring champion, and three-time All-Star.
Clark, last year’s WNBA Rookie of the Year, is nearing one of Cooper-Dyke’s achievements, as she was selected for her second-straight All-Star game this season. However, she’ll need to be at her best to achieve future awards and championships.
She suffered her groin injury on July 17, forcing her to watch Fever games from the sidelines.
Earlier this month, the Fieldhouse Files’ Scott Agness reported Clark had another setback as she “tweaked her left ankle” during a workout in Phoenix.
Despite Clark’s injuries, her squad has played well enough in her absence to win the Commissioner’s Cup and remain in the playoff discussion. As of this report, the Fever sit at third overall in the WNBA’s Eastern Conference standings with a 19-17 record.
There is no official timetable for Caitlin Clark’s return from injury, but there is optimism she’ll be back before the end of the season, just in time for the postseason.
Earlier this week, ESPN reported that Fever head coach Stephanie White said Clark “participated in a walk-through on Monday as part of her ramping-up process for returning to play.”
Read more: WNBA Star Cameron Brink Reacts to Fan Criticism After Sparks Return
For more on the Indiana Fever and WNBA, head over to Newsweek Sports.
