What was meant to be a celebratory moment for the WNBA and its most marketable player has taken a frustrating and all-too-familiar turn. Caitlin Clark, the Indiana Fever rookie who was set to be the face of the 2025 WNBA All-Star Weekend in Indianapolis, has officially withdrawn from both the All-Star Game and the Three-Point Contest after re-aggravating a groin injury.
It was supposed to be her weekend. Her city. Her show. Instead, Clark will be sitting courtside, forced to watch from the bench as the league scrambles to fill the void left behind.
“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,” Clark said in a statement released by the Fever. “I will still be at Gainbridge Fieldhouse for all the action and I’m looking forward to helping Sandy coach our team to a win.”
For a league that has been eager – if not desperate – to position Clark as the savior of its mainstream ambitions, the timing could not be worse. Her withdrawal not only sidelines its top vote-getter, but also strips the All-Star festivities of their most marketable attraction in the very city where she has reenergized interest in the sport.
A field without its star
The Three-Point Contest, which was shaping up to be Clark‘s signature stage, will now have to proceed without the player most fans were coming to see. Known for her deep shooting range and logo-level bombs, Clark was expected to light up the competition and give the crowd a highlight-reel performance. Instead, Commissioner Cathy Engelbert now faces the task of naming a replacement.
Among the most likely candidates is Kayla McBride of the Minnesota Lynx. A veteran shooter currently ranked third in the league in made threes, McBride was already added to the All-Star Game as a replacement for the injured Rhyne Howard. She brings consistency and experience and would be a natural fit.
Also in contention is Kelsey Mitchell, Clark’s teammate and the Fever‘s all-time leader in three-pointers. Mitchell recently passed Tamika Catchings for that mark and has been one of the few bright spots for Indiana during Clark‘s absence. Letting her step in would keep a local name in the spotlight and give fans someone familiar to root for.
Statistically, no one has a stronger case than Kennedy Burke of the New York Liberty. Burke leads the league with a blistering 47.9 percent from deep and has quietly become one of the most dangerous perimeter threats in the game.
Finally, Sami Whitcomb of the Phoenix Mercury deserves consideration. At 36, she is enjoying a resurgence after a disappointing season last year. Her experience and recent form could make her a dark horse with something to prove.
A worrying trend for Clark and the league
Clark‘s groin issue is not new. She missed five games earlier this season with a left groin injury, and Tuesday’s incident marked a troubling reappearance, this time in her right side.
After delivering a late assist against the Connecticut Sun, Clark visibly grimaced, walked off the court slowly, and slammed her head against the stanchion in frustration. She was immediately ruled out of the following game against New York.
Fever head coach Stephanie White was blunt about the decision to shut Clark down for the All-Star festivities.
“As the coach of the Indiana Fever, it’s not a bigger deal than our long-term season,” White said.
That may be true for Indiana, but the WNBA clearly had bigger plans. Clark was meant to carry the weekend, headline the events, and continue her role as the league’s central marketing pillar. Her recent shooting slump – 14.3 percent from three over her last seven games – had dimmed expectations of her winning the contest, but her presence alone guaranteed attention, buzz, and a bump in viewership.
Now, all of that hangs in the balance.
All-Star Weekend will go on, and the Three-Point Contest will still feature elite talent. But without Caitlin Clark on the court, the event will have to rely on basketball itself to shine – not the image of the league’s chosen face.
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