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On Thursday, the Indiana Fever's Instagram account announced that Caitlin Clark won't be participating in the WNBA All-Star weekend set to be held in Indianapolis on July 18th and 19th.
This is probably the most disappointing news the Fever fans have received this season, as many were hoping to see the star guard suit up and lead her team as a captain in her second All-Star game.
However, they will now have to wait a year to see that dream turn into a reality. Following the news about Clark's absence from the All-Star weekend, Underdog WNBA revealed the player set to replace the Fever's star guard in the All-Star game.
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Brittany Sykes has been selected to fill in for the reigning Rookie of the Year as she recovers from a groin injury.
While Sykes might not be able to match Clark when it comes to popularity, she is a good addition to Team Clark against a mighty Team Collier.
Sykes is averaging 17.1 points, 3.6 rebounds and 4.4 assists per game this season. She would be a good replacement for Clark, given that the Fever's star guard was struggling to make an impact in her last few games. However, in addition to missing their captain, Team Clark will also be missing three-time MVP A'ja Wilson, who injured her wrist earlier this month.
Stephanie White gets real on Caitlin Clark missing the WNBA All-Star game
All the Caitlin Clark stans around the world were disappointed after they learned that their favorite player was not going to participate in the 3-point contest or the All-Star game. However, Indiana's star guard's decision has come in good faith for the team's long future, and coach Stephanie White realizes it.
On Thursday, the Fever coach spoke with the media on the subject and expressed her excitement on the All-Star weekend being held in Indianapolis. However, she also highlighted that as a coach, her team's future is more important to her.
"It's a big deal for us to have All-Star in Indianapolis, of course with Caitlin being a focal point of all that," White said. "As the coach of the Indiana Fever, it's not a bigger deal than our long-term season."
Caitlin Clark has been dealing with repeated injuries this season, which have kept her sidelined for more than ten games now. First, the Fever guard suffered a quadriceps injury in May, which ruled her out for five games.
Soon after returning, she suffered a left groin injury that kept her out for another five games. She came back from the second injury last week but reaggravated the problem in her team's 85-77 win against the Connecticut Sun on Tuesday.
This time, Caitlin Clark has chosen to prioritize her body over pleasing the fans. So for now, the fans should respect the star guard's decision and pray for her speedy recovery.
