Caitlin Clark faces All-Star voting split and back injury, misses upcoming WNBA games

Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark was voted a starter for the WNBA All-Star Game after ranking second in fan voting and third in media voting, but she placed 11th among guards in the players' ballot. Former ESPN anchor Linda Cohn called the players' voting "stupidity" and criticized the disparity. Clark has also been sidelined by a recurring back injury that kept her out of the Fever's 111‑87 win over the Los Angeles Sparks on June 27 and caused her to miss the upcoming game against the Las Vegas Aces. She remains hopeful of returning for the next matchups against the Sparks and Mercury. The season has been marked by on‑court controversy, including a throat punch by Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas that resulted in a flagrant‑II foul and a one‑game suspension for Thomas. Clark has spoken out about player safety and media coverage following the incident. Additionally, a meme featuring teammate Sophie Cunningham was amplified by the White House, drawing further public attention to the Fever’s season.