With the All-Star Game less than a month away, the Indiana Fever find themselves in a now-familiar position: waiting on Caitlin Clark. Not for a buzzer-beating three or a signature deep pull-up—but to find out whether her groin will hold up long enough for her to even be available. Less than two weeks after erupting for 32 points in New York, Clark sat out again, her second lower-body injury of the season now clouding both her short-term return and long-term readiness. The shift has been rapid and hard to ignore. What was once a story of dominance has become one of careful calculation: how much is too much, and how soon is too soon?

First came the left quad issue that forced Clark to miss five games and rattled Indiana’s rotations. Then, just as she appeared to regain her rhythm, her shot vanished—Clark went ice-cold from deep, shooting 1-for-23 across three games. By the time she tweaked her groin against Seattle, Indiana had already been leaning heavily on her despite visible fatigue. The load is undeniable: she leads the team in points, assists, and minutes. But this stretch of stops, starts, and slumps has set off more than just stat-sheet red flags. And now, the question isn’t what she can carry—it’s whether her body can keep up.

That’s what prompted national analyst Rachel DeMita to offer a pointed warning this week on Courtside Club, voicing concern over what she sees as the real danger beneath the surface.

 “If say you try to rush her back from this injury as well then you’re getting into this territory where a very serious injury can happen,” DeMita warned, pointing to a reality that’s becoming harder to ignore in Indiana. Clark has already been sidelined twice this season with lower-body setbacks—first a quad strain, now a groin issue. While both injuries are individually manageable, back-to-back soft tissue trauma raises flags about overload and recovery quality, especially for athletes adjusting to the WNBA’s more physical, compact schedule.

“And with women as well we are more prone to knee injuries even than the men because of the angle that our hips go to our knees. So the last thing you want is her compensating or her groin not firing properly, and she goes to cut to the side and then all of a sudden something blows in her knee,” she added. This isn’t speculative; research consistently shows that female athletes face a disproportionately high risk of ACL injuries due to biomechanical and hormonal factors, particularly wider Q-angles, which place added strain on the knee during quick directional changes.

“That is what the Indiana Fever, that is what Caitlin need to avoid the best that they possibly can,” DeMita emphasized. And while it might sound excessive to sit a player through a marquee showcase, her logic is hard to dismiss.

 “So if it means that Caitlin is out for three weeks, if it means that she is out all the way through All-Star, then so be it.” She’s not wrong to raise the stakes. The Fever depend on Clark not just for scoring and playmaking, but for visibility, revenue, and relevance in a crowded sports market. Meanwhile, the WNBA’s national ratings dropped by over 50% during Clark’s earlier absence, highlighting the broader consequences of mismanaging her health.

 “She has such a long career and her as a player is so important for this team and for this league in general, so you actually can’t risk it at this point. You don’t need something more serious happening because you’re rushing somebody back with a muscle sprain.” In an ecosystem that’s already banking heavily on Clark’s availability, the smarter bet for Indiana and the league may be patience. And if Clark must watch the remainder of the season from the sidelines, at least she’ll still be in the spotlight—this time at the ESPYs.

Caitlin Clark May Miss All-Star, But ESPY Spotlight Awaits

Clark’s absence from the court isn’t dimming her off-court star power. She’s been nominated for not one, but two prestigious ESPY Awards: Best Record‑Breaking Performance, battling icons like Geno Auriemma, Kevin Durant, and Alex Ovechkin; and Best WNBA Player, up against league standouts—including reigning MVP A’ja Wilson, plus Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier. That nomination isn’t merely ceremonial. 

After winning the former in 2024, becoming the first woman to do so, fans rallied on social media, urging Clark to take home the honor again and even amusedly praising the match-up of Clark vs. Geno Auriemma.

With ESPY voting now largely fan-driven, Clark’s growing cultural momentum could propel her to re-take the stage in Los Angeles on July 16, just days before the All-Star Game on July 19. Whether she suits up or stays sidelined, Clark’s influence isn’t sidelined. For the Fever and the WNBA at large, the spotlight remains firmly on their breakout star—ESPY or not.