The WNBA’s first All-Star Sport in Indianapolis was anticipated to be a crowning achievement for Caitlin Clark in her second season. She was named a captain in Saturday’s All-Star Sport and deliberate to take part within the 3-point problem on Friday. As a substitute, Clark will once more watch from the sidelines, a sight that has grow to be all too acquainted this season.
Clark by no means missed a sport throughout 4 years on the College of Iowa or throughout her rookie WNBA season in 2024, however three separate accidents have sidelined the Indiana Fever guard for 10 regular-season video games this summer season (in addition to the Commissioner’s Cup last, which does not depend towards group data). Most lately, a proper groin sprain suffered in a sport on July 15 has compelled Clark out of the All-Star Sport, the place she was the main vote-getter in fan balloting.
Final yr’s Rookie of the Yr and a 2024 first-team All-WNBA choice, Clark is averaging 16.5 factors, 8.8 assists, 5.0 rebounds and 1.6 steals this season, showing in 13 video games.
Clark’s absences have put a damper on an Indiana season that began with actual promise. After making the postseason for the primary time since 2016 final yr, the Fever entered this season with excessive hopes after a busy offseason that included a number of key free agent acquisitions and bringing again Stephanie White for her second stint as Fever head coach. Indiana (12-11) sits in sixth place within the WNBA standings on the All-Star break.
We monitor Clark’s accidents, absences and taking pictures this season, in addition to key personnel strikes which have impacted the Fever.
Clark, who handled a left quad harm throughout coaching camp, sits out the Fever’s first preseason sport, a 79-74 time beyond regulation victory over the Washington Mystics, with what she describes as quad tightness.
However Clark performs the next day when the Fever beat the Brazilian nationwide group 108-44 in an exhibition sport at Iowa’s Carver-Hawkeye Enviornment, punctuating the evening with a 36-foot 3-pointer from simply behind the spot on the court docket that has her No. 22 emblem affixed.
Indiana opens the season 2-2 — shedding its two video games by a mixed three factors — however 9 days into the season, the Fever announce Clark will miss at the least two weeks with a left quad sprain. Whereas on the identical leg, a group spokesman mentioned it is a completely different harm from what Clark handled within the preseason.
White mentioned Clark wasn’t positive when the harm occurred however had reported some ache in her leg after a Could 24 loss to the New York Liberty.
Clark misses 5 video games from Could 28-June 10; Indiana goes 2-3 in that span.
Indiana picks up 5-foot-6 level guard Aari McDonald through emergency hardship exception after the Fever fall beneath 10 obtainable gamers — Sophie Cunningham and Syndey Colson have been additionally out with transient accidents.
On June 3, after Indiana has misplaced its first two video games with out Clark, McDonald comes off the bench for the Fever towards Washington. She posts 7 factors, 5 assists and three steals in 27 minutes.
McDonald is waived on June 13, per CBA guidelines, as soon as Clark and Cunningham are dominated obtainable.
Clark makes a press release in her first sport again, totaling 32 factors, 9 assists and eight rebounds handy the New York Liberty their first lack of the season. Clark scores 25 factors by halftime, fueled by a stretch within the first quarter the place she drains three consecutive 3-pointers, the primary from 33 toes. She nails a 27-footer 21 seconds later, and a 31-footer 22 seconds after that. She finishes with seven treys.
Clark, who accounts for 54 of Indiana’s factors via her scoring and passing within the 102-88 victory over the defending WNBA champs, performs 31 minutes, 18 seconds, and says after the sport that she felt tremendous apart from being a little bit winded a couple of occasions.
“My legs felt actually robust. I felt in good condition,” she mentioned.
Clark performs in 5 consecutive video games — the Fever go 3-2, together with a 94-86 win on the Seattle Storm on June 24 to snap a two-game shedding streak on the highway. However Clark, who shoots 0-for-6 on 3-pointers towards the Storm, is dominated out two days later as a result of a left groin sprain forward of a house sport towards the Los Angeles Sparks.
White says earlier than the sport she came upon concerning the harm late the earlier evening, after the group’s coaching employees had taken Clark for an MRI.
Earlier than she’s sidelined once more, Clark goes 1-for-23 from the 3-point line in a three-game stretch.
In her first sport in 15 days, Clark tallies 10 factors, 5 rebounds, 6 assists and 4 turnovers in simply lower than 25 minutes in an 80-61 loss to the Golden State Valkyries.
The loss drops the Fever to 9-10 on the season — 5-5 with Clark on the ground and 4-5 with out her.
White says the Fever’s “lack of aggressive hearth” led to the loss.
The Fever reel off three straight wins because the All-Star break approaches, enhancing their document to 12-10, two video games above .500 for the primary time this season. However within the last minute of an 85-77 win over the Connecticut Solar, Clark pulls up as she’s driving towards the basket, dishes a bounce cross after which holds the within of her proper thigh. Visibly pissed off, briefly resting her head towards the stanchion, Clark leaves the court docket whereas preventing again tears, finally protecting her head with a towel.
Clark finishes with 14 factors, 8 rebounds and seven assists, together with 9 factors and two assists within the fourth quarter.
However Clark shoots 1-for-7 on 3-point makes an attempt, hitting simply her second 3 on the highway this season. In her 4 video games earlier than the most recent harm, Clark is 6-for-26 (23.1%) from downtown.
After the sport, White tells reporters Clark “felt a little bit one thing in her groin.”
Clark, who group officers say underwent imaging Wednesday to find out the extent of the harm, sits out her tenth regular-season sport. Indiana loses 98-77 on the New York Liberty.
White says she is going to defer to the Fever’s athletic coaching employees on the check outcomes, however provides, “I contemplate it excellent news” as a result of “something that we’re speaking about nonetheless day-to-day is at all times excellent news for me.”
Clark declares she is going to miss Friday’s 3-point contest and Saturday’s All-Star Sport in Indianapolis.
“I am extremely unhappy and disillusioned to say I can not take part,” Clark writes in a press release shared by the Fever on social media. “I’ve to relaxation my physique.”
a message from Caitlin Clark ❤️ pic.twitter.com/zRGZEpqF5R
— Indiana Fever (@IndianaFever) July 17, 2025