Fever coach Stephanie White gives latest update on Caitlin Clark injury
Caitlin Clark has missed 10 straight games for the Indiana Fever as she recovers from a right groin injury.
- Up next: Fever vs. Wings, 7:30 p.m., Tuesday (ESPN)
- Odyssey Sims was signed to a hardship contract following season-ending injuries to Sydney Colson and Aari McDonald.
INDIANAPOLIS – Odyssey Sims knows the passion of Indiana Fever fans. She heard the roar of the crowd firsthand in 2024 when she came to Indianapolis as part of the Dallas Wings.
Now, coming to Indiana on a hardship contract, she will have the crowd at her back.
“I’m excited about (Tuesday),” Sims said. “I know Indiana has great fans, some of the best fans in the W, so I’m a little nervous, just because there’s gonna be a lot of people, but I’m excited to play.”
Sims, who will be available in a Fever jersey Tuesday for the first time, signed a regular hardship contract with the Fever on Sunday afternoon after season-ending injuries to Sydney Colson (left ACL) and Aari McDonald (right foot). Those injuries left the Fever temporarily without a healthy point guard for their game against Chicago on Saturday, as Caitlin Clark (right groin) has been out since July 15 with no timetable for return.
Kelsey Mitchell and Sophie Cunningham played out of position to fill that void, helping facilitate a 22-point win over the Sky. Sims has signed with the Fever to be that stopgap at point guard, allowing Mitchell and Cunningham to return to their natural positions.
Even better for the Fever, this midseason signing fits exactly what they need: a player who can facilitate to their forwards, create their own shots and stay cool under pressure.
“(Sims) has been really good in the two-man her whole career,” Fever coach Stephanie White said Monday. “Her ability to get downhill and to make plays for herself and others, to knock down shots, her speed and quickness with the ball in her hands are all things that we need, and she should be a great addition.”
Sims, 32, has been a part of midseason signings multiple times in her 12-year career. She signed with Dallas midseason in 2024 on a hardship contract, then signed with Los Angeles midseason after she was released from Dallas.
She’s been somewhat of a journeywoman in the league, playing for six teams — including separate stints with Los Angeles, Dallas and Minnesota over those years.
So, she’s used to jumping into teams with little practice time. She’s used to having just one day of preparation. That’s something she’s done multiple times; it’s how some pros stay in the league long-term.
Sims flew into Indianapolis on Sunday, and she had just one practice with the Fever to install her on Monday afternoon. Indiana will not hold a shootaround ahead of Tuesday’s game, just a walkthrough, so Monday’s practice is all she’ll get before stepping onto the court in an Indiana jersey for the first time.
“I think I’ll be just fine,” Sims said. “I think when you go to any team, go from one team to the next of course, it’s about adjusting, fitting in, learning the plays. But, I mean, I think I learn pretty quick. I know this team does get out and run a lot. That’s what I like to do, so I think I’ll just be just fine starting tomorrow.”
Of course, the Fever don’t expect her to know their entire playbook after one day of practice. They’ll run a simplified offense with Sims, similar to what they did when McDonald joined the team on just a day of practice back in June.
And they know it’s a learning process.
“They’re trying not to overload me with too many plays,” Sims said. “What I’ve learned today, just the basic ones that they’ve been running and we have just played where they put all their plays. So I’ll be reviewing a lot today. But it’s no pressure, of course, like brain farts expected. I might call a play, and it might be the wrong one because I’m thinking of a different play. It’s happened to me before, so I’m just going in with no pressure, just gonna play, help them from the point guard position, and just be me out there.”
Sims could be with the team for the rest of the season, too, regardless of Clark’s eventual return. The regular hardship contract is not tied to the same 10-player available rule that emergency hardship contracts are governed by.
The Fever technically have two regular hardship spots open with their three injured players, and if Sims is the only one they sign, they will not have to release her when Clark returns. If Indiana decides to sign a second hardship player, the team would need to release either Sims or that second player once Clark returns.
From a depth perspective, Sims could be essential for the Fever for the rest of the season. She is the only healthy natural point guard on the roster right now, and then will be a crucial backup once Clark returns.
Still, even before she’s played a game for the Fever, she’s in for the long haul.
“I can’t even believe I’m here right now, to literally be part of the Indiana Fever basketball association,” Sims said. “This is amazing. Like I said, I’m excited. You see me smiling from ear-to-ear, like, I have been since I got here yesterday. Like I said, I just want to continue that, pour into my teammates, let them pour into me, win, and get ready for playoffs. Playoffs is around the corner as we finish up the regular season. So as long as I’m here, I’m just going to do my part.”
Chloe Peterson is the Indiana Fever beat reporter for IndyStar. Reach her at capeterson@gannett.com or follow her on X at @chloepeterson67. Get IndyStar’s Indiana Fever and Caitlin Clark coverage sent directly to your inbox with our Caitlin Clark Fever newsletter.
When do Indiana Fever play next?
Fever play Dallas Wings at 7:30 p.m., Tuesday at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
Will Caitlin Clark play Tuesday vs Dallas Wings?
No, the Fever star point guard will miss her 11th straight game with a right groin strain.
