Caitlin Clark\u2019s meteoric rise seemed unstoppable heading into this season. However, her shine has recently dimmed considerably, and ESPN\u2019s midseason rankings tell the story of how far she\u2019s fallen.<\/p>\n
How Did Caitlin Clark Plummet from Fourth to Ninth in ESPN\u2019s Rankings?<\/p>\n
Indiana Fever second-year star Caitlin Clark went from a top-five preseason standing straight to the ninth spot\u00a0on the list, raising eyebrows and questions. The steep drop comes after her shooting struggles and recurring injuries have disrupted what started as a promising campaign.<\/p>\n
Despite her record-breaking campaign and various statistical achievements, disruptions in her rhythm and role on the Fever roster have led to a fall in her field-goal percentage, which the network has duly noted.<\/p>\n
One of my FAVORITE Caitlin Clark highlights from 2025! Caitlin vs 3 people!! Should\u2019ve been an and-1.<\/p>\n
See you soon CC! pic.twitter.com\/K62I1xQyDy<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Kiayla (@CayZeeElle) June 2, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n Of course, given the subjectivity of such rankings, there\u2019s always going to be a difference in opinion, but dropping to No. 9 was a bit shocking for everyone. Analyst and writer Alexa Philippou writes<\/a>, \u201cClark is a difficult player to assess given her lack of availability due to injury \u2014 she has appeared in 12 games, sitting out two stretches of five games.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThough she is currently amid a shooting slump (13-for-41 from the field and 5-for-19 from 3 since returning from her latest injury), she has shone with her playmaking. She has 19 assists over her past two games, including the 17th 10-assist game of her career Sunday \u2014 her first with no more than two turnovers,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n In the preseason list, Clark proudly stood at No. 4, but ESPN was quick to attribute her dip to two primary reasons: her lack of appearances and her shooting slump.<\/p>\n What Injuries Have Derailed Clark\u2019s Strong Start?<\/p>\n It has been pretty difficult for her to perform at an optimal level, as compared to her teammates. She\u2019s missed 10 games so far with two different injuries. She sat out five games during the late May and early June period due to her quad injury and then missed five more games due to her growing injury.<\/p>\n Caitlin Clark appeared to be in pain after this play late in the fourth quarter.<\/p>\n Clark returned to play last week after missing 5 games with a groin injury. pic.twitter.com\/y78M3mDeCf<\/a><\/p>\n