Caitlin Clark’s WNBA playoff debut did not go according to plan — and she’s got the battle wound to show for it.
Clark, 22, and the Indiana Fever got walloped by the Connecticut Sun 93-69 in Game 1 of their best-of-three first round series on Sunday, September 22, with the rookie phenom suffering a black eye in the process.
Less than two minutes into the game, Clark took a finger in the eye from Sun guard DiJonai Carrington. Clark fell to the court on her knees, clearly in pain following the poke.
Clark went to the bench briefly, but did not miss any game action. No foul was called on the play.
By the time Clark made it to her postgame press conference, there was noticeable black swelling underneath her right eye.
“Obviously, she got me pretty good in the eye,” Clark said to the media. “I don’t think it affected me. I got good shots, they didn’t go down. It’s a tough time for that to happen. Had three wide open in the first half that I usually make. It didn’t feel good when it happened but I don’t think it affected me.”
Clark finished with 11 points, shooting 4-17 from the field. It was her second-lowest point total since June.
“I just felt like we played a crappy game,” Clark continued. “The flow of the game was really bad.”
Game 2 between the Fever and Sun is Wednesday at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut.
Earlier this season, Clark and Carrington, 26, had a contentious on-court incident when Carrington accused Clark of flopping. After Carrington was called for a foul on Clark during a game between the Fever and Sun on June 10, Carrington mocked Clark with a flop motion right in front of the official.
Days later, Carrington appeared to call out Clark after the former Iowa star said “that’s not where my focus is” when asked about her name being used as a front for racism on social media.
“Dawg. How one can not be bothered by their name being used to justify racism, bigotry, misogyny, xenophobia, homophobia & the intersectionalities of them all is nuts,” Carrington posted via X June 13. “We all see the s—. We all have a platform. We all have a voice & they all hold weight. Silence is a luxury.”
Five hours after her comments stirred controversy, Clark clarified her stance.
“People should not be using my name to push those agendas,” she told The Athletic. “Everybody in our world deserves the same amount of respect. The women in our league deserve the same amount of respect.”
