Caitlin Clark cleared after preseason scare — Fever open Saturday vs. Dallas

Indiana exhaled. Caitlin Clark went down hard in the preseason finale after Dallas' Alanna Smith hit her with a Flagrant 1, and Gainbridge Fieldhouse went silent for a beat. Clark walked off under her own power, but the league spent 24 hours waiting on the MRI.

It came back clean. Clark was a full participant in Monday's practice, and head coach Stephanie White confirmed she'll start when the Fever open the regular season at home Saturday against the Wings at 1 p.m. ET on ABC. Paige Bueckers debuts for Dallas in that game — Clark vs. Bueckers, national TV, sold out building. The exact matchup the league has been waiting for.

After the brutal soft-tissue injuries that wrecked Clark's 2025 season, "MRI clean" is the only headline that matters. She's healthy, the schedule is loaded, and Saturday is going to be electric.