INDIANAPOLIS — Caitlin Clark mentioned she has tried to have as a lot enjoyable as attainable on this WNBA All-Star weekend regardless of the frustration of not with the ability to play.
The Indiana Fever guard, the highest vote-getter in fan balloting, suffered a proper groin damage in Tuesday’s victory over Connecticut, which saved her from competing right here in Friday’s 3-point capturing contest and Saturday’s All-Star Sport. Earlier than the sport she met the media with fellow All-Star captain Napheesa Collier of the Minnesota Lynx. The 2 teased one another about whose group was going to win, they usually addressed some questions in regards to the on-going collective bargaining settlement negotiations.
Clark additionally spoke about how she’s been feeling throughout a celebratory weekend hosted by her franchise
“When the damage occurred, it was fairly irritating contemplating I knew what the approaching days have been gonna maintain for myself,” she mentioned. “However … [this weekend] wasn’t going to be taken away from me. Certain, perhaps I am not in a position to play the video games, however I can nonetheless be right here and take part, and I’ve a ton of family and friends on the town which might be having a very good time. So I have been making an attempt to take pleasure in the very best I can.
“Nonetheless attending to be round and be part of every little thing is actually essential for myself and for the followers. They have been out in full power, whether or not they’re coming into the sport tonight or whether or not they’re simply having fun with all of the festivities which might be round our metropolis. So simply actually glad, not just for Indianapolis and state of Indiana and our group, however actually simply the league. I feel the weekend has been completely unbelievable.”
As a rookie, Clark had 4 factors, 10 assists and a pair of steals in final 12 months’s All-Star Sport in Phoenix. She performed for Crew WNBA, which beat Crew USA 117-109 in a contest that helped put together the U.S. squad for the Olympics. Clark went on to guide the league in assists and 3-pointers because the Fever made the playoffs for the primary time since 2016.
Clark had by no means missed a recreation in her faculty profession at Iowa or in her first WNBA season. However this 12 months, she has been out 10 regular-season video games plus the Commissioner’s Cup ultimate due to accidents to her left quad, left groin and proper groin.
“I really feel like there’s been fairly just a few accidents over the course of the start of the season for fairly just a few folks,” mentioned Clark, who needed to miss Saturday’s recreation together with fellow injured All-Stars Rhyne Howard of the Atlanta Dream and Satou Sabally of the Phoenix Mercury. “So lots of people [are] in the identical boat as myself.
“I am not going to say I have been getting around-the-clock therapy. I have been nonetheless making an attempt to take pleasure in this weekend, and having the stability of that on the identical time [as] soaking all of this in. And, you realize, as soon as [Sunday] comes round, I’ll fully shift my focus to getting as wholesome as attainable.”
The Fever, 12-11 and Commissioner’s Cup champions, have three video games this coming week: Tuesday at New York (ESPN, 8 p.m. ET), Thursday at house vs. Las Vegas and Sunday at Chicago (ABC, 3 p.m. ET).