What happened to Caitlin Clark? Why Fever star isn't participating in WNBA All-Star Game, 3-point contest

WNBA All-Star Weekend, taking place in Indiana this year, was supposed to be the perfect opportunity to celebrate one of the biggest young stars the league has ever seen, Caitlin Clark.

The Fever guard, who won Rookie of the Year and was selected as an All-Star and to the All-WNBA First Team in 2024, has quickly become one of the faces of the league, even being one of the captains for the 2025 All-Star teams following fan voting. However, as fans take in All-Star festivities in Indiana, they'll notice that Clark isn't participating in any events.

Clark, who was originally committed to participating in the 3-point contest, released a statement in the days prior to WNBA All-Star weekend, sharing how "incredibly sad" she was to share that she would be sidelined for the festivities.

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Here's what to know about Clark sitting out the 2025 WNBA 3-point contest and All-Star Game.

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What happened to Caitlin Clark?

Clark has spent a significant portion of her second WNBA season so far injured. And in one of Indiana's games right before the All-Star break, she exited late in a win over the Sun on Tuesday after she was clearly in some pain.

After missing nine of the Fever's first 18 games due to quad and groin injuries, Clark returned to action on July 9, hoping to remain healthy for the rest of the season. Instead, the injury bug appeared to bite her again after making a fourth-quarter pass against Connecticut.

Clark hung her head with a towel over it on the bench, and she was then ruled out for Wednesday's game against New York.

Because the Fever were originally ruling Clark as questionable and treating it as a day-to-day injury, there was at least some optimism that she could get healthy enough to participate in All-Star festivities. But unsurprisingly, the star guard and her team decided to play it safe, ruling her out for the break.

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Clark had committed to participating in the 3-point contest for the first time, but announced on Thursday that she was "disappointed" to share the news that she'd be sitting out for the shooting event and the All-Star Game.

"I have to rest my body," Clark wrote. "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."

a message from Caitlin Clark ❤️ pic.twitter.com/zRGZEpqF5R

How long is Caitlin Clark out?

While Clark confirmed that she wouldn't participate in any WNBA All-Star events, using that time to recover from recent injuries, it's unclear whether she'll be ready for Indiana's first game after the break.

The Fever will open the second half on Tuesday against the Liberty, which would mark one full week since Clark exited in pain against the Sun. 

Fever head coach Stephanie White said before the break that Clark "felt a little something in her groin" before exiting against Connecticut, and the team is prioritizing her long-term health while taking it day by day.

Stephanie White said there’s been no discussion beyond tonight’s game about Caitlin Clark’s status moving forward. She says the team is continuing to prioritize her long-term health.

Clark's status will likely be game-by-game once the Fever get back underway. 

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WNBA 3-point contest participants

Clark was set to be one of five participants in the WNBA 3-point contest in Indiana, but her spot will be filled by another player after she withdrew due to injury.

Here are the full participants in the 3-point contest:

• Sonia Citron, G, Mystics
• Allisha Gray, G, Dream
• Sabrina Ionescu, G, Liberty
• Kelsey Plum, G, Sparks