Caitlin Clark has been ruled out of the Indiana Fever’s game against the Las Vegas Aces on Sunday night as she continues to recover from a back injury.
The Fever superstar, who has been at the center of fierce controversy in the WNBA after she was punched in the throat by the Phoenix Mercury’s Alyssa Thomas last Wednesday, announced on Friday that she will remain on the sidelines this weekend.
It means she will not come up against another player she has history with in Chennedy Carter, who brutally bodychecked her while playing for the Chicago Sky in 2024.
Clark has been struggling with a back problem since that ill-tempered game against the Mercury, in which Thomas sparked uproar by punching her while she was on the ground.
The 24-year-old has regularly been subjected to brutality on the court since entering the WNBA in 2024, with the shocking incident reigniting the debate surrounding the rough treatment she receives from opposition players.
Thomas was not penalized for the punch on the night, with Indiana coach Stephanie White branding the no-call ‘absolutely egregious’ and ‘utterly disrespectful.’
Caitlin Clark has been ruled out of the Indiana Fever’s game against the Las Vegas Aces
The Fever star picked up her back injury in the same game she was punched in the throat by Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas (pictured)
However, the WNBA retroactively assessed a flagrant II foul on the Phoenix forward the following day, suspending her for Saturday’s game against the Toronto Tempo.
While speaking to reporters on Friday, Clark said she is hopeful of returning from her back injury soon after taking part in Friday’s practice.
She also broke her silence on the Thomas scandal, but steered clear of criticizing her and instead took aim at the media and WNBA officials.
‘It’s really interesting to me because, I turned the TV on on Sunday, and that game was on Wednesday, and that’s all people are still talking about,’ Clark said on Friday. ‘And I feel like that’s just a real disservice to our league.’
She also added about Thomas not being penalized in the game: ‘The league’s just got to do better protecting our players in that regard.’
Following her comments, Clark has received criticism from conservative podcast host Jason Whitlock, who believes the WNBA icon is concerning herself with matters that are out of her control.
‘I’m rooting for Caitlin. Her story is fun to watch. However, she took 9 days to comment on a situation involving her. Nine days is a lot of prep time,’ Whitlock posted to X on Friday. ‘Her message was the refs missed a call and the media discussed her in a way she didn’t like. Control what you can control. She can’t control the refs or the media.’
Back in 2024, Carter received a huge backlash when she bodychecked Clark during a game between Indiana and Chicago.
It means Clark will not face Aces point guard Chennedy Carter, whom she has history with
Carter received a huge backlash after bodychecking Clark while playing for Chicago in 2024
She even appeared to yell ‘you b***h’ at the former Iowa star before knocking her to the ground.
Carter, who is now in her first season with Las Vegas, refused to answer questions about Clark immediately after Chicago’s loss.
But a few days later she said: ‘I don’t have any regrets with anything. I’m going to compete and play 100 per cent hard – no matter who it is or who we’re playing.’
Carter said she acted in the ‘heat of the moment’ and was simply retaliating. Footage appeared to show Clark catching the guard with her elbow moments before she was knocked to the ground.
‘I think I got hit in the head the play before and it was just one of those things that was in the heat of the moment,’ she said. ‘I don’t know Caitlin. I don’t know her from anyone but at the end of the day this is hoops, it is competitive.’
