WNBA superstar Caitlin Clark said she’ll miss the league’s All-Star weekend after aggravating a groin injury during an 85-77 win over the Connecticut Sun this week.
Washington Mystics guard Brittney Sykes will replace her on Team Clark, chosen from a pool of players from both conferences, on Saturday in Indianapolis.
“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 message posted 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 (New York Liberty coach Sandy Brondello) coach our team to a win.”
Clark was supposed to compete in a loaded 3-point contest Friday night and is the captain of her namesake team. The second-year guard was the leading vote getter from the fans and has been a huge reason the league has bulged with attendance and ratings for two seasons running.
The Iowa product skipped invitations from the WNBA and NBA 3-point competitions last season to make her debut in front of the home crowd in Indianapolis.
The league has not confirmed who will replace Clark in the 3-Point Contest. Her absence let Sykes receive her first All-Star nod.
Washington’s 31-year-old guard leads the Mystics with 17.1 points per game this season. She’s posting career highs in points, assists, free-throw makes and free-throw attempts as the rebuilding Mystics own an unexpected 11-11 record.
Sykes joins two of her teammates — rookies Kiki Iriafen and Sonia Citron — on the All-Star squads.
After aggravating her injury earlier in the week, Clark sat out the Fever’s 98-77 loss at New York on Wednesday.
Fever coach Stephanie White said Clark had imaging done Wednesday afternoon. The coach deferred to the team’s training staff for more details, except to say that she considered it good news.
Clark got hurt with under a minute left in Tuesday’s game against the Sun in Boston.
She walked downcourt holding her right groin after assisting on the Fever’s final basket. As teammate Aliyah Boston tried to console her, Clark walked to the basket support and banged her head against it before heading to the bench. During the timeout, she covered her head with a towel and appeared to be holding back tears.
Clark had been durable throughout college and her first season in the WNBA, never missing a game. Now she’s had four muscle injuries in her second year as a professional.
She missed the preseason opener with tightness in her quad but played the next day in an exhibition game at her alma mater, Iowa. She suffered a quad strain against New York on May 24 that kept her out for five games. Clark returned June 14 and played in five games before suffering another injury to her left groin that kept her out for four contests and the Commissioner’s Cup final.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.