Phoenix Mercury v Indiana Fever - Source: Getty — Is Caitlin Clark playing tonight against Phoenix Mercury? Latest on Fever rookie status (Source: Getty)

Is Caitlin Clark playing tonight against Phoenix Mercury? Latest on Fever rookie status (August 16)

Modified Aug 16, 2024 11:46 GMT

Caitlin Clark has enjoyed a lengthy WNBA midseason break to make way for the 2024 Paris Olympics. The Indiana Fever star savored her free time as she spent her vacation in Mexico City and attended various events in Indianapolis and other cities.

Now that the rookie is well-rested after a productive first half of the 2024-25 season in the WNBA, Clark is available and will be ready to go once more as the Indiana Fever face the Phoenix Mercury on Friday at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

The game will be headlined by the third meeting of Clark and Mercury legend Diana Taurasi, two of the biggest WNBA stars today. The two have often drawn comparisons to each other as both play similar styles and were former No. 1 overall picks.

Caitlin Clark bonds with teammates during WNBA break

Clark had her friends and teammates Katie Lou Samuelson and Lexie Hull with her in her time off from basketball. The three Indiana Fever players enjoyed the sun and the sea during the Olympic break with their significant others in Mexico.

Hull posted pictures of their getaway trip on Instagram as they rocked their swimwear while riding a boat.

The Fever last played a WNBA game on July 18, when they lost to the Dallas Wings, 101-93. Clark previously featured in the WNBA’s All-Star Game, where she set a rookie assists record of 10 as Team WNBA defeated Team USA.

The matchup and subsequent vacation came at the heels of Clark’s snub for the Olympics, which she, alongside Samuelson, had been part of before the final 12 cuts.

However, Clark saw the silver lining from the Olympic snub as she got to enjoy a much-needed break to work on herself.

“It is a great opportunity for us to work and get better," Clark said. "It’s a great opportunity for myself to get in the weight room to work on the core and work on the things that I wanna get better at that maybe I didn’t have time going from college to the pro season, so I’m looking forward to it.”

Caitlin Clark had a busy schedule in the past year

Caitlin Clark had been one of the busiest players of the past year. Following her final season with the Iowa Hawkeyes, where she led the team to the national championship game, Clark entered the WNBA just over a week later, cutting down on what could have been a well-earned break for the player.

Clark also immediately joined the Fever for training camp and had to endure a hectic first half of the season, which saw them play 11 games in 20 days at one point.

Nevertheless, Caitlin Clark has adjusted to the WNBA schedule and is now averaging 17.1 points, 5.8 rebounds and 8.2 assists per game.