Injuries continue to dominate the headlines in the WNBA, with Caitlin Clark back and A'ja Wilson potentially heading out for the Aces. Also, Paige Bueckers and Clark get their first matchup and we have our All-Star rosters.
3 highlights of the WNBA this past week:
Napheesa Collier and Caitlin Clark pick their All-Star teams: Now that the All-Star reserves have been decided, it came time for the team captains to draft their teams. Since they had the highest number of fan votes, Napheesa Collier and Caitlin Clark were named team captains, and they joined an ESPN broadcast earlier in the week to draft players. Clark had the first pick, immediately picking her teammate Aliyah Boston. With her first pick, Napheesa chose her bestie and business partner, Breanna Stewart. Clark ended up with fellow sharpshooter Sabrina Ionescu, and Collier grabbed the only rookie in the starters, Paige Bueckers. As for the reserves, both players started by drafting their teammates in Kelsey Mitchell for Clark and Courtney Williams for Collier. Now, to see which team comes out victorious at the All-Star Game.
Caitlin Clark returns against Golden State Valkyries: The All-Star Captain had a busy week, as she also made her return to the Indiana Fever lineup as they were playing the Golden State Valkyries. Clark had been out since June 24 with a groin injury and has been rehabbing on a day-to-day basis. In her return to the Fever, she scored 10 points, 6 assists, 5 rebounds and 1 steal, shooting 33.3 percent from the field and 40 percent from 3-point range. In the end, the Fever lost 80-61 to the Valkyries. A notable statistic that emerged from this contest was that Clark’s former Iowa Hawkeye teammate, Kate Martin, is now 6-0 in games against Clark since both entered the WNBA. That will be fun to continue tracking as the pals continue their careers.
Camp Games work in favor of Connecticut Sun: Camp games – you either love them or loathe them. A few times a season, the WNBA will hold games in the middle of weekdays, so that summer camps and youth programs can attend. What results is a loud environment filled with a lot of screaming kids. If these games are being played on the East Coast against West Coast teams, it ends up being an 8 am game on West Coast time. That ended up being the case as Seattle played Connecticut this week, resulting in the Sun breaking their 10-game losing streak in a 93-83 win over the Storm. Understandable, given that 8 am is not the best time to play your best basketball.
2 games to watch this weekend:
Golden State Valkyries vs Las Vegas Aces: Saturday, July 12, 4 p.m.:
The Golden State Valkyries are on a road trip this week, testing their skills in other arenas as opposed to in their rocking home arena. So far, they are 1-2 on this trip, and this game against the Las Vegas Aces could be a huge boost in their confidence in away games. The Aces are currently 9-10, having a rough season, and now their star A’ja Wilson may miss some games after suffering a wrist injury this week. With the way the Valkyries are rolling right now, this could be a chance for them to get another tick in the win column. For the Aces, defending home court if Wilson is out would be a huge morale boost for the team. Wilson is currently questionable for the Aces' next game.
Dallas Wings vs Indiana Fever: Sunday, July 13, 1 p.m.:
Another edition of this fun match-up, and it could be the first time we see Caitlin Clark and Paige Bueckers face each other as pros. In the last game these teams faced each other, Clark was ruled out. Bueckers had a great game, helping her team mount a comeback against the Fever, but in the end, the Clark-less Fever were still able to get the win over the Dallas Wings. This will be a thrilling matchup in the years ahead as both Clark and Bueckers continue to get better, but their potential first game against each other is a must-see.
1 storyline to watch: A’ja Wilson’s wrist injury
In the Las Vegas Aces game against the New York Liberty, A’ja Wilson injured her wrist. What didn’t seem too bad at first may end up being more serious. Wilson ended up having an MRI done in New York, which she posted about on Instagram, thanking the Liberty organization for their help during the situation. While the magnitude of her injury is yet to be announced, she is currently listed as Questionable on the Aces’ injury report.
If she does miss time, it could be pretty bad for her Las Vegas team. They sit under .500 right now at 9-10 and have had multiple games displaying a lack of offensive cohesion, effort, and the power this team has been known for in the past. Wilson is leading the team, averaging 20.7 points per game, 8.7 rebounds, 2.4 blocks, and 1.7 steals. Missing their anchor on both ends of the floor would either force the Aces to step it up, or could see them fall into dismay.
Wilson’s health and wellness are the most important things in all of this. The team wants to fight back into contention, but ensuring Wilson’s long-term health is more important. Hopefully, the injury isn’t as serious as it could be.