Caitlin Clark's babysitting duty steals spotlight as injured Fever star adorably storms tunnel walk

Caitlin Clark has won over the hearts of the basketball world with her spectacular play on the court. As her stardom grows, even the things she does off the court go viral in no time.

Prior to the Wednesday’s Indiana Fever-Washington Mystics matchup, Clark — who had to sit out the game due to injury — was seen carrying a child as she walked into Baltimore’s CFG Bank Arena.

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Naturally, fans wondered who the child was. Some online users identified the child as the offspring of Fever assistant coaches Austin Kelly and Karima Christmas-Kelly, who both joined coach Stephanie White’s staff in late 2024.

For now, Clark’s fans will have to settle for their favorite player’s adorable tunnel walks. On Monday, the Fever announced that Clark had sustained a left quadriceps injury that would sideline her for “a minimum of two weeks.” According to IndyStar, even White wasn’t sure exactly when Clark suffered the injury.

The numbers indicate Clark’s absence will be a huge blow to the Fever in their upcoming games. The reigning Rookie of the Year is currently eighth in scoring, averaging 19.0 points across four games. She’s also putting up 6.0 rebounds, 9.3 assists and 1.3 steals per outing.

The Fever will have to find creative ways to address the void left by Clark. Heading into Wednesday’s game against the Mystics, Indiana held a 2-2 record, which placed them third in the Eastern Conference standings. A loss or two could set them back in their bid to make a second consecutive trip to the playoffs.

Caitlin Clark embraces sideline role prior to Fever-Mystics showdown

Unable to suit up against Washington, Caitlin Clark found other ways to keep herself occupied. After carrying a child during her tunnel walk, Clark took on a sideline role, documenting her teammates in action.

Fever beat writer Chloe Peterson posted a clip of Clark wielding a camera as the active Fever players took shots during warmups.

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Of course, the shots Caitlin Clark would rather be taking are the ones that go through the hoop. Fans are hoping she’ll be back on the court and shooting in short order.

About the author

Simoun Victor Redoblado is an NBA and WNBA journalist at Sportskeeda with over 12 years of experience writing for publications such as Collider, ALL-STAR Magazine, and Sir Charles in Charge.

Simoun has a bachelor's degree in Secondary Education, Major in English and Minor in journalism. Thanks to the journalism courses that he took, Simoun understood the fundamentals of journalistic storytelling in the context of sports writing.

Passionate for the UP Fighting Maroons, Simoun is a fan of the NBA, PBA, UAAP, and FIBA.
His childhood team was the Chicago Bulls and Simoun was a longtime supporter of the Houston Rockets because his friends would say he looked like Yao Ming.

Simoun loves the systematic, tactical movement of the ball and the players, the stories behind each individual competing on the hardcourt and most of all, how basketball is a sport for life and all its struggles and lessons.

A father of two, Simoun spends his free time with his kids.

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Edited by Simoun Victor Redoblado