Caitlin Clark questionable against Liberty, status unclear for All-Star Game
Caitlin Clark sustained another injury Tuesday, to her right groin. Will it impact her All-Star Weekend in Indianapolis?
Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark is questionable against the New York Liberty Wednesday after sustaining a right groin injury against the Connecticut Sun in a victory on Tuesday.
Fever coach Stephanie White said after the game Tuesday that Clark "felt a little something in her groin."
After a bounce pass to Kelsey Mitchell for a layup with 39.1 seconds remaining, Clark held the inside of her right thigh before walking over and banging her head against the stanchion in apparent frustration. Clark walked to the Fever bench, where she put a towel over her head.
Clark suffered a left quad injury during the Fever's 90-88 loss to the New York Liberty on May 24 missed five games. Clark returned to the Fever's lineup on June 14 in the Fever's 102-88 win over the Liberty and dropped 32 points, nine assists and eight rebounds in her first game back.
Clark then sustained a left groin injury four games later in the Fever's 94-86 win over the Seattle Storm on June 24, which resulted in her missing the next five games, including the Fever's 2025 Commissioner's Cup win over the Minnesota Lynx on July 1. The Fever went 5-5 without Clark in the lineup.
The 2025 WNBA All-Star Game is being held in Indianapolis, which Clark previously called "really special to do it here in this city." As a captain, Clark picked teammates Aliyah Boston (starter) and Kelsey Mitchell (reserve) to compete against captain Napheesa Collier's team, but Clark's availability is now in question.
The All-Star Game is scheduled for Saturday. Clark is also supposed to participate in the WNBA's 3-point contest on Friday.
"It’s exciting. I’ve never participated in a 3-point competition or practiced before, so just go out there and have fun," Clark said on Tuesday in her pregame news conference. "The lineup of people competing is tremendous .... it’s going to be great for our league and for women’s basketball as a whole."
If Clark is out, WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert would name a replacement. Earlier Tuesday, Minnesota Lynx guard Kayla McBride was named an All-Star replacement after a knee injury sidelined Atlanta Dream star Rhyne Howard (reserve).