Reacting Team Clark and Team Collier WNBA All-Star roster
USA Today’s Meghan Hall breaks down the WNBA All-Star roster.
Seriously sports
Indiana Fever star Kate Linklark has experienced many firsts throughout her illustrious basketball career, from becoming the NCAA’s all-time best scorer in Iowa to setting up her rookie season for the WNBA single-season assist record, but Clark’s sophomore WNBA campaign has unveiled a new first campaign she has never experienced.
Entering the 2025 WNBA season, Clark never missed a college or professional game. She appeared in all the Hawkeyes games during four years of black and gold, playing in all 40 games for the rookie year’s fever, where she won the Rookie of the Year. However, Clark dealt with the injury bug, missing 10 of the first 20 games of Fever of the season, marking her longest missed game of her career.
“It’s obviously hard to sit and watch for a few weeks, so I’m excited to be out there,” Clark told reporters Tuesday. “I’ve never experienced this before, so it was very challenging.”
2025 WNBA All-Star Draft Results: Kate Linklark chooses Fever Teammate
Clark suffered a quad injury when he was defeated 90-88 on May 24th to New York Liberty, missing five games thereafter. Clark returned to the Fever lineup on June 14 with a 102-88 victory over Liberty in Fever, dropping 32 points, nine assists and eight rebounds in his first gameback. Clark then suffered a left gro caliber injury in the fever’s 94-86 victory over Seattle Storm on June 24th. As a result, Clark missed the team’s next five games, including Fever’s Commissioners Cup victory over the Minnesota Links on July 1.
She lost to the Golden State Valkyries in a Fever 80-61 loss on Wednesday, July 9th, with 10 points, six assists and five rebounds in the lost effort.
“It feels good to be there. It’s going to take a little while to get the wind back,” Clark said in the loss. “There’s nothing that can recreate a true game… I was trying to play a shorter stint, but it can be almost difficult to sit on the bench and come to the game. It’s sort of finding a balance. I’m just trying to put my feet under me.”
Clark’s injuries and sporadic availability contribute to the poor shooting. In the last four games, Clark was shot 17-17 from the field, 3-28-3 to 28-3. Clark said he was fighting an injury bug.
“It was tough, honestly. I’m not going to lie to you. It’s hard to prepare for the game, but I know you’re not going to play for them,” Clark said Wednesday. “It’s really hard to stop, stop, stop, stop and go, go, try to make your body as healthy as possible, and just be confident in yourself.”
Heat head coach Stephanie White agreed, “It’s difficult to get injured because you’re injured, and mentally difficult. You’re hard to be there. You’re very competitive and want to help your team. You’re unhappy with the rehabilitation process.
Despite missing a good amount of time this season, Clark still averages 17.4 points, 8.6 assists (the second-best in the league) and 5.0 rebounds in 10 games. She was named WNBA All-Star Captain (via fan vote) and currently ranks third in the WNBA MVP odds behind Minnesota Links’ Nafisa Collier (-500) and Phoenix Mercury’s Alyssa Thomas (+1000). Fever is in a big position to run into the team’s second straight playoff berth as the All-Star break quickly approaches. (After a 2024 All-Star and Olympic break, the fever went 9-5 last season to secure the team’s first postseason appearance since 2016.)
“As I get to the end of the year and the playoffs, I think this will be a moment when I can really be proud of myself for everything I went through and how I dealt with it,” Clark said Tuesday.
The 2025 WNBA All-Star Game is set at Gainbridge Field House on July 19th in Indianapolis.
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