,type=downsize)
Caitlin Clark fans are devastated while her haters on the court are cheering to find out she reinjured her groin. It happened in the final moments of Tuesday night’s 85–77 win over the Connecticut Sun.
The Indiana Fever star had to sit out Wednesday’s matchup against the New York Liberty, which ended in the team losing 77-98. Plus, she won't participate in the WNBA All-Star game this weekend and the 3-point contest. To add to the disappointment, it's the first time Indian has ever hosted the All-Star game; the first one was held on July 14, 1999.
“I am incredibly sad and disappointed to say I can’t participate in the 3-Point Contest or the All-Star Game,” Clark said in a statement shared by the Fever. “I have to rest my body. I will still be at Gainbridge Fieldhouse for all the action, and I’m looking forward to helping (Liberty coach Sandy Brondello) coach our team to a win.”
Clark was set to headline the All-Star festivities in more ways than one. She was the top vote-getter, captain of one of the teams, and scheduled to compete in what was shaping up to be the most stacked 3-point contest the league has seen in years.
After Tuesday’s game, Fever coach Stephanie White told reporters that Clark “felt a little something in her groin” and emphasized that the team would be cautious. “I think we just take it one step at a time,” White said, via the Indy Star. “She’s being evaluated… We’ve at least got experience [playing] without her. We know we have a tough opponent in New York, and we know it’s going to be a challenge no matter what.”
The team later confirmed that Clark underwent imaging on Wednesday. While White didn’t share details, she did say the results were “good news,” though no timeline has been given. "It's a big deal for us to have All-Star in Indianapolis, of course with Caitlin being a focal point of all that," White said on Thursday. "As the coach of the Indiana Fever, it's not a bigger deal than our long-term season."
After a rock-solid college career and rookie season, Clark’s sophomore year in the W has been more physically demanding; she’s now missed 10 games with various groin and quad issues, per The Washington Post. And while the All-Star break was supposed to be a celebration of her superstardom, it’s now a reset instead.
Brittney Sykes of the Washington Mystics and Atlanta Dream forward Brionna Jones were added to the Team Clark roster for the All-Star Game. The league hasn’t named a replacement for the 3-point contest yet.