Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark, who sustained a groin injury this week, will not participate in this weekend's WNBA All-Star events, she announced Thursday.
July 17 (UPI) -- Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark, who sustained a groin injury this week, will not participate in this weekend's WNBA All-Star events, she announced Thursday.
"I'm so excited for Indy to host WNBA All-Star this weekend," Clark wrote in a statement issued by the Fever. "I know this will be the best All-Star yet. I am incredibly sad and disappointed to say I can't participate in the 3-point contest or the All-Star Game.
"I have to rest my body. I will still be at Gainbridge Fieldhouse for all the action and I'm looking forward to helping Sandy [Brondello] coach our team to a win."
Washington Mystics guard Brittney Sykes was chosen to replace Clark in the 2025 WNBA All-Star Game, which will be held Saturday in Indianapolis. Clark and fellow All-Star captain Napheesa Collier of the Minnesota Lynx drafted the rosters for the All-Star Game last week.
WNBA All-Star weekend will start with the skills challenge and 3-point contest at 8 p.m. EDT Friday on ESPN, ESPN+ and Disney+. The 2025 All-Star Game will air at 8:30 p.m. Saturday on ABC, ESPN+ and Disney+.
Clark sustained a right groin injury with less than a minute remaining in an 85-77 Fever win over the Connecticut Sun on Tuesday in Boston. She sat out 10 games earlier this season due to a quad injury and a left groin issue. She also missed the Fever's 98-77 loss to the New York Liberty on Wednesday in Brooklyn.
Fever coach Stephanie White told reporters Wednesday that Clark, who underwent imaging on her groin, is day-to-day.
"The big picture is the most important -- for her health and wellness, long-term and for our team," White said. "And we've been very slow in making sure that every time she comes back that she's ready.
"So, we'll continue to approach it like that. I mean, long-term is the most important."
Clark averaged 16.5 points per game -- tied for 17th-most in the WNBA -- through her first 13 appearances this season. She also averaged 8.8 assists, the second-most in the league.
Clark made just 36.7% of her shot attempts, including 27.9% of her 3-point shots so far this season. She also leads the league with 5.1 turnovers per game.
"Being injured and continuing to have setbacks is frustrating, mentally, emotionally," White said. "Oftentimes being injured is isolating. The primary conversations we've had are just checking in. ... Caitlin and her team will make decisions when it comes to All-Star. It's a big deal for us to have All-Star in Indianapolis.
"And, of course, with Caitlin being a focal point of all of that, as the coach of the Indiana Fever, it's not a bigger deal than our long-term season, but it's also part of the fun."
The Fever will take on the Liberty in their first game after the All-Star break at 8 p.m. Tuesday in Brooklyn.
Category: Basketball
