Just a few days ahead of leading a team in the WNBA All-Star game and participating in her first professional 3-point contest, Caitlin Clark has a new injury wrinkle.
After enduring two injury stints this season, the Fever star seemingly suffered an injury late in the fourth quarter in Tuesday’s 85-77 win over Connecticut.
After the game, coach Stephanie White said Clark “felt a little something in her groin” and will be evaluated.
Her availability against the Liberty on Wednesday at Barclays Center is now in question.
With under 40 seconds to play, Clark dribbled hard and pulled up to find Kelsey Mitchell for a backdoor pass and layup to give the Fever an 84-75 lead.
After the play, Clark grimaced in pain while holding her right hand on her groin. A similar injury sidelined her for four games before returning July 9.
She finished the night with 14 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists across 28 minutes, which is the most she has played since returning.
The Fever beat the Liberty 102-88 on June 14 in the last meeting between the teams.
Clark scored 32 points, shooting 50 percent from beyond the arc (7-for-14), and tallied eight rebounds and nine assists.
It was a night the Liberty were without starters Jonquel Jones and Leonie Fiebich, and the latter is available on Wednesday to make for a different matchup.
With Clark initially assumed to be available, it was set to be a spicy game as they have been in the past this season.
The Fever suffered what they thought was a controversial 90-88 loss on May 24 to the Liberty, after Clark didn’t get a shot off before the buzzer against Natasha Cloud.
The team went scorched earth on the league for the no-foul call to result in the loss.
Breanna Stewart had a “quarter day” on Tuesday, coach Sandy Brondello called it, to give her a break before the busy post All-Star schedule.
Nyara Sabally was also “half in, half out” to give her a bit of rest as well.
Cloud was named as a participant in the WNBA skills challenge at All-Star weekend along with Skylar Diggins, Allisha Gray, Erica Wheeler and Courtney Williams.
Along with Clark and Sabrina Ionescu, Gray, Sonia Citron, and Kelsey Plum are set to compete in the 3-point contest.
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