The Athletic has live coverage of the WNBA All-Star Skills Challenge.
Indiana Fever guard Lexie Hull will replace teammate Caitlin Clark in the 3-point contest during WNBA All-Star weekend Friday night, the team announced Friday morning. Clark announced Thursday that she would not participate in the 3-point contest Friday or the All-Star Game on Saturday due to a right groin injury. Both events will be held at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, which is the Fever’s home arena.
Hull is shooting 46.8 percent on 3s this season, the fourth-highest mark in the WNBA. She’s drained 29 3s overall, tied with Clark for the second-most on the Fever. All-Star teammate Kelsey Mitchell leads Indiana with 49 3-pointers this year.
Hull will compete against defending 3-point contest champion and Atlanta Dream All-Star Allisha Gray, Los Angeles Sparks All-Star Kelsey Plum, New York Liberty All-Star Sabrina Ionescu and Washington Mystics rookie Sonia Citron.
Clark injured her right groin in the Fever’s road win over the Connecticut Sun on Tuesday night. After making a bounce pass to Mitchell, who scored on a layup with 39.1 seconds left in the game, Clark grabbed her right groin. The Sun called a timeout after the play, and tears welled in Clark’s eyes as she walked to the bench in discomfort.
“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. “I will still be at Gainbridge Fieldhouse for all the action, and I’m looking forward to helping (New York Liberty coach) Sandy (Brondello) coach our team to a win.”
Clark has sustained four non-contact injuries this year, resulting in 11 missed games. She was sidelined for five games with a left quad injury, five games with a left groin injury and now one game with a right groin injury. She also missed Indiana’s preseason opener due to left leg tightness.
Indiana is 4-6 without Clark this season, excluding the Commissioner’s Cup Championship victory that does not count toward the team’s overall record. The Fever are 12-11 and in sixth place in the WNBA standings. The team’s next game is Tuesday at New York.
Clark, a two-time All-Star, is averaging 16.5 points, 8.8 assists and 5.0 rebounds in 13 games this season. Before this year, she had never missed a game in her college or pro career, making 181 straight starts across five years.
“It’s a big deal to have (the) All-Star (Game) in Indianapolis, and of course, with Caitlin being a focal point of that,” Fever coach Stephanie White said. “As the coach of the Indiana Fever, it’s not a bigger deal than our long-term season, but it’s also part of the fun.
“The big picture is most important for her health and wellness long-term and for our team.”
(Photo: Justin Casterline / NBAE via Getty Images)
Source link
