Injured Clark 'trying to enjoy' All-Star weekend

INDIANAPOLIS -- Caitlin Clark said she has tried to have as much fun as possible on this WNBA All-Star weekend despite the disappointment of not being able to play.

The Indiana Fever guard, the top vote-getter in fan balloting, suffered a right groin injury in Tuesday's victory over Connecticut, which kept her from competing here in Friday's 3-point shooting contest and Saturday's All-Star Game. Before the game she met the media with fellow All-Star captain Napheesa Collier of the Minnesota Lynx. The two teased each other about whose team was going to win, and they addressed some questions about the on-going collective bargaining agreement negotiations.

Clark also spoke about how she's been feeling during a celebratory weekend hosted by her franchise

"When the injury happened, it was pretty frustrating considering I knew what the coming days were gonna hold for myself," she said. "But ... [this weekend] wasn't going to be taken away from me. Sure, maybe I'm not able to play the games, but I can still be here and participate, and I have a ton of friends and family in town that are having a really good time. So I've been trying to enjoy the best I can.

"Still getting to be around and be a part of everything is really important for myself and for the fans. They've been out in full force, whether they're coming into the game tonight or whether they're just enjoying all the festivities that are around our city. So just really happy, not only for Indianapolis and state of Indiana and our organization, but really just the league. I think the weekend has been absolutely incredible."

As a rookie, Clark had 4 points, 10 assists and 2 steals in last year's All-Star Game in Phoenix. She played for Team WNBA, which beat Team USA 117-109 in a contest that helped prepare the U.S. squad for the Olympics. Clark went on to lead the league in assists and 3-pointers as the Fever made the playoffs for the first time since 2016.

Clark had never missed a game in her college career at Iowa or in her first WNBA season. But this year, she has been out 10 regular-season games plus the Commissioner's Cup final because of injuries to her left quad, left groin and right groin.

"I feel like there's been quite a few injuries over the course of the beginning of the season for quite a few people," said Clark, who had to miss Saturday's game along with fellow injured All-Stars Rhyne Howard of the Atlanta Dream and Satou Sabally of the Phoenix Mercury. "So a lot of people [are] in the same boat as myself.

"I'm not going to say I've been getting around-the-clock treatment. I've been still trying to enjoy this weekend, and having the balance of that at the same time [as] soaking all of this in. And, you know, once [Sunday] comes around, I will completely shift my focus to getting as healthy as possible."

The Fever, 12-11 and Commissioner's Cup champions, have three games this coming week: Tuesday at New York (ESPN, 8 p.m. ET), Thursday at home vs. Las Vegas and Sunday at Chicago (ABC, 3 p.m. ET).