Caitlin Clark Sits Out Fever’s Loss to Liberty, All‑Star Game Status Still Uncertain

🔥 Match Recap: Fever Without Clark

Groin injury sidelines Clark: Caitlin Clark was ruled out of Indiana’s 98–77 loss to New York on July 17 with a persistent right groin issue that first flared during the previous game’s final minute .

Liberty dominate: Breanna Stewart erupted for 24 points—landing every basket from inside the paint—while Sabrina Ionescu and Natasha Cloud added 15 pts/9 asts and 14 pts, respectively, sealing a routine Liberty victory .

Fever falter: Indiana struggled offensively, shooting just 36.8% and failing to cover the absence of their star rookie .

🩺 Injury Outlook & All‑Star Implications

This marks Clark’s 11th missed game this season (four earlier, now seven groin-related)—raising serious doubts about her readiness for the upcoming All‑Star Weekend .

Though she was tapped as a Three‑Point Contest participant and Eastern Conference All‑Star captain, her participation hangs in the balance pending medical evaluation .

Fever coach Stephanie White confirmed that Clark underwent imaging and her status remains “questionable” for both the All‑Star Game and Friday’s slam‑dunk contest .

🔍 What This Means Moving Forward

Concern
Details

Team impact
Without Clark, the Fever drop to 4‑5, whereas they’re 8‑5 when she plays .

Physical toll
Recurring groin and quad issues are adding up—physically and mentally, testing her resilience .

All‑Star suspense
Fans await an official announcement—if healthy, Clark will lead Team East as a captain and compete in the 3‑Point Contest .

🏀 Unspoken Stakes

All‑Star momentum: The weekend in Indianapolis is shaping up to be historic for Clark—if cleared, she’ll return to her home court as captain of Team East and headline a sold‑out Gainbridge Fieldhouse .

Signal for rest vs. risk: Expert voices argue the WNBA must consider holding Clark out until full recovery if she misses any part of the games; heavy usage in-season and while injured may risk longer-term complications .

Pressure beyond the court: Media scrutiny highlights not just her absence tonight, but how her fluctuating availability may impact draft narratives, league fan growth, and team momentum.

Bottom Line

Caitlin Clark’s absence from the Liberty game spotlights a deeper challenge: balancing a generational talent’s health with instant drive and fan-driven milestones. The Fever are 5 games into her serious injuries this year—and the All‑Star weekend in Indianapolis (July 19) now hangs in the balance.

Will Clark lean into her role as Eastern Conference captain and 3‑Point Contest contender, or will caution reign supreme? The coming days will decide if she takes center stage—or sits it out—for one of the league’s most anticipated events.