Caitlin Clark was once again in the basketball headlines on Friday as she stepped onto the court with the U.S. women’s national team for practice, marking her first action in nearly five months.
Caitlin Clark Back In Action For First Time In 5 Months
The Indiana Fever star, one of the most electrifying talents in the sport, has spent much of 2025 sidelined with a right groin injury that shut down her WNBA campaign late in the season. After months of rehabilitation and speculation about her status, Clark finally got back to meaningful work with Team USA at the senior national team’s training camp in Durham, North Carolina.
Caitlin Clark is back in action with Team USA in camp.
(📸 via @usabasketball) pic.twitter.com/xkp7g8iT6Y
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) December 12, 2025
The practice session represented a milestone not only in her physical recovery, but also in her journey back into competitive basketball. Clark has been absent from official game play since mid-July, when she exited a matchup against the Connecticut Sun and was ultimately ruled out for the rest of the Fever’s season.
Despite her absence, the Fever were able to advance all the way to the WNBA Semi-Finals before losing to the eventual champion Las Vegas Aces.
Reese, Bueckers Will Join Clark On Team USA Roster
This weekend’s three-day Team USA camp is Clark’s first opportunity to engage in full practices since the injury. USA Basketball managing director Sue Bird, herself a legendary figure in women’s hoops, praised Clark’s commitment and maturity in navigating the rehab process and staying engaged throughout her recovery.
Angel Reese and Paige Bueckers have arrived in Durham for Team USA’s national team training camp. 📸🥹✨ pic.twitter.com/wHGjwotDC2
— I talk hoops 🏀 (@trendyhoopstars) December 11, 2025
Caitlin Clark isn’t the only young star on hand in Durham. Also making her senior national team training camp debut this weekend is Paige Bueckers, the Dallas Wings guard who has quickly risen to prominence in the WNBA after just one season. Angel Reese will also be making her national team debut.
While their sights are certainly set on the 2028 Summer Olympics, they will first participate in the FIBA World Cup in 2026. This weekend’s camp will be used to help determine the roster for that event. Together, Clark, Bueckers, and Reese represent a new wave of American basketball talent. Out are mainstays like Diana Taurasi and Sue Bird, making way for the new generation to carry the torch.
