Caitlin Clark surprised WNBA fans earlier this week when she announced she would not be participating in the 3-point contest ahead of Friday night’s All-Star game.
The Indiana Fever rookie is tied for third in 3-point field goals made with 71, along with Dallas Wings star Areke Ogunbowale and Las Vegas Aces’ Kelsey Plum.
New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu was second with a 74 and Minnesota Lynx star Kayla McBride was first with a 76.
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Kaitlyn Clark of Team WNBA during team practice for the 2024 WNBA All-Star Game at the Footprint Center on July 19, 2024 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Alex Suritz/Getty Images)
Other competitors in the contest include McBride, Stephanie Dolson of the Washington Mystics, Alisha Gray of the Atlanta Dream, Jonquel Jones of the Liberty and Marina Mabry of the Connecticut Sun.
Clark explained his reasons for missing the contest on Friday.
“Honestly, I think I’m just going to rest,” she told reporters, via the Indy Star. “I’ve been playing basketball all year. It’s not easy to just go out there and shoot the ball from the rack. It’s something I’ve never done before and I haven’t had much time to practice.”
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Indiana Fever’s Caitlin Clark (22) celebrates after a game against the Dallas Wings at College Park Center on July 17, 2024 in Arlington, Texas. (Cooper Neal/Getty Images)
Clark has been playing basketball almost nonstop since the start of last year’s basketball season for the Iowa Hawkeyes. She took some time off after the national championship, but the WNBA draft came soon after, and the WNBA season began shortly after.
Clark was left off the Olympic roster, but the WNBA will be taking an extended hiatus leading up to the Olympics.
“The biggest thing for me was I needed a break and I needed to have time for myself to enjoy the things I wanted to do,” Clark said.
Kaitlyn Clark of Team WNBA aims for a pass during a team practice for the 2024 WNBA All-Star Game at the Footprint Center on July 19, 2024 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Alex Suritz/Getty Images)
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The Fever will return to the court at home against the Phoenix Mercury on Aug. 16, before Clark takes on the women’s Olympic basketball team in the all-star game.
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