Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark on Thursday announced that she will be skipping the WNBA All-Star Game at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse over the weekend after suffering a groin injury earlier this week.
The 23-year-old sustained the right groin injury during the game against the Connecticut Sun on Tuesday. This comes after she faces multiple injury issues for much of the season.
Clark was named the starter as well as the captain for the All-Star Game on Saturday after bagging fan votes in her favor. Also, she was announced to take part in the maiden 3-point contest of her career.
In a statement, Clark stated that she is "incredibly sad and disappointed" to inform that she will not be able to 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," she added.
Her absence from the events will be a major blow for the league as the Indiana Fever is due to host the All-Star this weekend. According to Sports Illustrated, one of these players can potentially replace Clark on the All-Star roster:
Kayla McBride (Minnesota Lynx)
{{/usCountry}}Her absence from the events will be a major blow for the league as the Indiana Fever is due to host the All-Star this weekend. According to Sports Illustrated, one of these players can potentially replace Clark on the All-Star roster:
Kayla McBride (Minnesota Lynx)
{{/usCountry}}McBride remains a strong contender as Clark's replacement. During this season, she emerged as one of the top three-point shooters in the league. She knocked down triples at a 37.7% clip, emerging as third in the league with 52 made threes in the last season. On average, she had 2.6 makes per game. Notably, McBride was named to the All-Star roster as injured Rhyne Howard's replacement.
Kennedy Burke (New York Liberty)
Making 1.8 threes per game on average while shooting at a 47.9% clip, Burke's efficiency from the three-point range was lauded by many experts this year. She was 37-for-75 from downtown this year, which stood her far and away the best percentage among any player having 75 or more attempts, Sports Illustrated reported.
Sami Whitcomb (Phoenix Mercury)
Sami Whitcomb has been another phenomenal performer from the three-point range, despite being 36 years old now. In her maiden year with the Phoenix Mercury, the player is shooting at a 37% clip from deep, marking 2.2 threes on an average per game. This ranks her in the seventh position in the league.
Also Read: Caitlin Clark injured again: A look at her career-high 10 games miss this season
Kelsey Mitchell (Indiana Fever)
At 607, Mitchell took the Fever's franchise record for most made threes in her career. She passed Tamika Catchings to emerge in the top spot earlier this week. During the current season, she has made 49 threes, ranking her sixth overall in the league.
FAQs
1. Is Caitlin Clark out of the WNBA All-Star Game?
Yes, the Indiana Fever star has announced that she will not be participating in this weekend's WNBA All-Star events.
2. What happened to Caitlin Clark?
She suffered a right groin injury on Tuesday while playing against the Connecticut Sun.
3. Who will replace Caitlin Clark?
As of now, her official replacement has not been announced.