Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark left Tuesday’s game against the Connecticut Sun late in the fourth quarter in tears after grabbing the top of her right leg in visible pain.
Clark appeared to injure her groin while turning to run back on defense after assisting Kelsey Mitchell with 39 seconds left in the game, The Indiana Star noted.
The play capped off a physical and emotional night for the WNBA’s biggest draw, who has been relentlessly bullied by other players and had to be restrained earlier after confronting a referee mid-game.
Clark was seen wincing and clutching near her right thigh before walking off the court and hitting her head against the stanchion in frustration, ESPN reported.
She then sat on the bench with a towel over her head as her teammates closed out an 85-77 win at TD Garden.
Caitlin Clark appeared to be in pain after this play late in the fourth quarter.
Clark returned to play last week after missing 5 games with a groin injury. pic.twitter.com/y78M3mDeCf
— espnW (@espnW) July 16, 2025
Before the injury, Clark had been in a heated exchange with a league official during the third quarter.
“Are you f***ing kidding me?” she said after a review call went against Indiana.
Moments later, cameras caught the star point guard yelling, “That’s just rude. Grow up. Come here, come here, come here. Unbelievable.”
Caitlin Clark had words for the ref while the call was under review.
The Sun’s challenge was successful, giving Connecticut the ball. pic.twitter.com/K2V4vuRl3h
— ESPN (@espn) July 16, 2025
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Fever head coach Stephanie White addressed the injury in postgame comments to the media.
“No update, just felt a little something in her groin, so we’ll get it evaluated and see what happens from there,” she said, The Indiana Star reported.
“We’ll have another evaluation, probably, and conversation in the morning, see where we are,” she continued, per ESPN.
Clark had previously missed nine games this season due to a left groin and quad injury. The Fever are 8-5 with Clark this season and 4-5 without her.
The 23-year-old finished Tuesday with 14 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists, including nine points in the fourth quarter.
Indiana, now 12-10, plays Wednesday night in Brooklyn against the defending champion New York Liberty.
White acknowledged the rough treatment Clark faces, telling reporters, “There’s a level of physicality that they’re able to play with against her.”
The WNBA has yet to address mounting concerns about Clark’s safety as opponents continue to target the league’s biggest star, who has been bullied since she entered the WNBA.
No one has dealt with more undeserved vitriol & cheap shots than Caitlin Clark…
All of this is so unnecessary & stems from pure hatred and jealousy.
— Jon Root (@JonnyRoot_) June 18, 2025
“We’ve got to find some ways to make it a little bit easier for her,” White said. “But the level of physicality overall in our league has been at a different level than it’s been for a long time.”
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