Roughly a month ago, there was a heartwarming moment between Caitlin Clark and former Fever guard Erica Wheeler during their first face-off as rivals. In that game, Clark rolled her ankle and paused before getting up. As she did, Wheeler, who had been defending her, gently placed a hand on Clark’s back, continuously asking, “You alright?” as Clark exited the court. The moment struck a chord and took us to 2024. As Christine Brennan put it, “How Erica Wheeler looked out for Caitlin Clark last season even though she lost her starting job when Clark arrived”. Fast forward to now, and Aliyah Boston is here with another example and an answer that screams grace.
“I’m incredibly sad and disappointed to say I can’t participate in the 3-Point Contest or the All-Star Game.” With these words, Caitlin Clark confirmed the news fans had feared but hoped wouldn’t come true. Just days before the festivities, things took an unfortunate turn. Clark exited the game against the Connecticut Sun with about 30 seconds left, visibly in pain and holding her groin. She left TD Garden in tears, and not long after, was officially ruled out of both the All-Star Game and the 3-Point Contest at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. What makes it even more disheartening is how much this moment meant to her. She had set her sights on debuting in the 3-point contest in front of the home crowd. And she was beyond excited, as she said, “I’ve never participated in a 3‑point competition before, never practiced before, so just go out there and have fun”.
So, what was shaping up to be a storybook weekend quickly turned into a night to forget. But her teammates weren’t going to let that happen. Aliyah Boston, especially, has made sure Caitlin Clark’s spirits stay high. During a press conference leading up to the All-Star festivities, Boston was asked about Clark’s injury and how the team has supported her. And her response? It’s bound to bring a smile to your face!
“I mean, just continuing to be in her corner and cheer her on,” Boston said.“I think the biggest thing, especially, you know, as a player and a competitor, it’s super hard when you have to sit out. And so, for us, just making sure that she knows, listen, we got your back no matter what. And I think that’s really all we can do cuz as a player, you deal with stuff differently and you kind of just uh get through stuff differently. So, I mean, we’re just doing our our best job of just letting her know like, listen, we got your back. Take your time, but we got you,”
This season has been a real test of resilience for Caitlin Clark. She’s already sat out 11 games due to a left quad strain and two groin injuries. And the time away has taken a toll on her rhythm. Since returning from her first groin injury, she managed just 50 points while shooting 31.1% from the field in the 4 games she played since coming back. But even when her shots aren’t falling, Clark continues to contribute in other key areas. Over the stretch mentioned, Caitlin has grabbed 20 rebounds and dished out 35 assists. So, naturally, her All-Star team is going to feel her absence. As Tim MacMohan put it, “The belle of the ball can’t get out on the dance floor … that puts a big‑time damp on the whole party.”
Honestly, though, this is a smart decision by the franchise. After all, the real test comes after this exhibition weekend. As Imam Shumpert put it, “I think that, you know, you want to play as much basketball as you can. You want to do it at the highest level you can, right? Going back to Indiana and not being able to put on the show that she wants to put on — I can totally understand her decision to want to sit it out.”
And as for whether there’s a rain cloud over the party, recent updates do not suggest so.
Captain Caitlin Clark to become the coach in the All-Star games!
Caitlin Clark shared on Good Morning America that she’ll be “active on the sidelines” during the All-Star Game! She would be cheering on her teammates and be ready to “chirp at the other team.” But that’s not all. There’s more to it, and it comes straight from Coach Sandy Brondello!
Syndication: The Indianapolis Star Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark 22 reacts to a call from the referee on Friday, May 30, 2025, during the game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. The Connecticut Sun defeated the Indiana Fever, 85-83. Indianapolis , EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xGracexHollars/IndyStarx USATSI_26335334
“Unfortunate about Caitlin’s not into this game, but she is still going to have a great impact on this team,” Brondello said during a press conference. “You know I will give that coaching hat to her as much as she wants. To be quite honest, so you know we are going to play around with it a little bit. It will be fun.”
Clearly, no one is going to miss her competitive and fiery energy. As Kelsey Mitchell also assured us Friday morning, “It won’t change. Caitlin will still be Caitlin, guys. Trust me..She’s gonna be in coaching uniform — you’ll definitely see the competitive nature.” And guess what? We’ll be bringing you all the visuals and stories of that “nature” straight from Gainbridge Fieldhouse! Right here at EssentiallySports. So stay tuned. This is just the beginning!
The post Aliyah Boston’s Message To Injured Caitlin Clark Is The Kind Of Support Fans Expect From Indiana Fever Teammates appeared first on EssentiallySports.
