WNBA Could Face Unfortunate Caitlin Clark Decision as Deadline Nears

Caitlin Clark appeared to be in tears after she was forced to exit the Indiana Fever’s game on Tuesday night against the Connecticut Sun. There was less than a minute remaining in the contest when the 23-year-old appeared to suffer a re-aggravation of the same groin injury that cost her two weeks on the sidelines in June and July.

While there has been no confirmation yet from the Fever with regard to the extent of the injury, it would not be a surprise if the team holds her out for an extended period if this is, indeed, a re-aggravation of the groin issue.

This comes at a terrible time for the WNBA, which could now be forced to make an unfortunate decision ahead of the upcoming All-Star Weekend.

The league announced on Tuesday — just hours before Clark suffered the injury — that the Fever star would take part in the 3-Point Contest on Friday. Clark herself expressed her excitement to participate in the competition for the first time in her career.

The All-Star Game will succeed the 3-Point Contest on Saturday, with Clark previously being named as team captain after receiving the most fan votes. She also got the privilege of drafting her own squad, which includes her Fever teammates, Aliyah Boston and Kelsey Mitchell.

Clark’s injury on Tuesday night, however, has put her status for both the 3-Point Contest and the All-Star Game in jeopardy. This means that the WNBA will potentially need to make a decision about who will replace the former Iowa star in both the shootout and the exhibition game if she’s unable to participate.