Caitlin Clark opened up about why she spurned the 3-point contest during the WNBA’s All-Star weekend.
In the end, it just came down to not wanting to push her body further.
“I think just rest,” Clark said Friday when asked why she chose to participate in the event. “I’ve been playing basketball for a year straight, it’s not an easy thing to just show up to and shoot off of a rack. It’s not something I’ve ever done before. It’s not something I’ve had a lot of time to practice, I’ve been focusing on helping my team win games.
“So I think just enjoying this break, I think there’s going to be plenty of opportunities for me to do that at some point… I need a break, and I need to take some time for myself to enjoy what I want to do.”
Clark has had essentially no downtime since before her senior season at Iowa, which began last October.
Shortly after the Hawkeyes’ national championship loss to the South Carolina Gamecocks, Clark was drafted by the Fever No. 1 overall, and just weeks later, the WNBA season kicked off.
Still, WNBA fans would have no doubt liked to have seen Clark, perhaps the most popular hooper and one of the best shooters in the league, show off her skills Friday night.
Clark, who is expected to play in the WNBA All-Star Game on Saturday, has made 71 3-pointers this season, which is tied for the third-most in the league, on 32.7 percent shooting.
During her senior season at Iowa, Clark set the single-season record with 201 treys and 5.15 shots made from deep per game.
The Indiana star isn’t the only big-name shooter who is skipping the event despite already being in Phoenix for this weekend’s festivities.
Reigning 3-point contest champion Sabrina Ionescu of the Liberty will also not compete this time around.