And just like that, the first bit of bad news has hit the All-Star festivities. Mere hours after the draft aired on ESPN, an injury concern has already surfaced. And of course, it had to be for Team Caitlin Clark. The Indiana Fever players just can’t catch a break when it comes to injuries and now, Team Clark might have to worry about the availability of reigning MVP A’ja Wilson. Coach Becky Hammon shared an update that has everyone in the community worried.

Tragedy struck the Aces with 4:33 left to play in the first half against the defending champions New York Liberty. A’ja hurt her wrist while trying to drive with the ball to the basket, only to get fouled by Leonie Fiebich. She was clearly in pain. The Aces bench rushed to her side, and even Liberty trainer Terri Acosta stepped in to make sure Wilson was fine. And Natasha Cloud handed over towels to shield Wilson from the cameras as she stayed down.

A’ja continued playing, she hit both free throws and even managed to grab a rebound before Coach Becky Hammon decided to sub her out with 2:22 left on the clock, as Kierstan Bell took her place. After the half-time, it was revealed that A’ja wouldn’t be returning to the game. She ended the game with 2 points, shooting 0-for-3 from the field while also grabbing 4 rebounds and providing 2 assists.

Coach Hammon did provide an update regarding A’ja’s injury in the post-game conference. “Nope. No update. She will have an MRI in the morning,” Hammon said. Not exactly the reassuring news Team Clark or Aces fans were hoping for. A’ja did make her way back to the bench in the second half, but notably, she was wearing a brace. Not a good sign. So, while fans are still holding out hope, they should brace themselves for the possibility of some tough news ahead.

With the All-Star game scheduled to take place on June 19 in Indianapolis, if A’ja fails to recover in time, it could serve as a big blow to Team Clark as well as the fans. A’ja is the reigning MVP and is easily one of the best players in the league; not having a player like her would undoubtedly take some shine off the weekend’s festivities.

Wilson has been dominating this season, averaging nearly 22 points, 9 rebounds, and 3 assists per game. Sure, the league will name a replacement if she can’t suit up. But is there any replacement for a player like Wilson’s caliber? Absolutely not! After all, we all know how the Aces went 1-2 in her absence when she missed games due to a concussion protocol earlier this season. Back on June 11, during a game against the Los Angeles Sparks, A’ja Wilson hurt herself while defending against a drive by Dearica Hamby. She took a hit to the head and looked visibly shaken after the contact. The whole incident happened with only 1:17 left in the third quarter. As you would imagine, Wilson didn’t return to play in the game, and the Aces lost 89-97.

It remains to be seen when A’ja comes back. The MRI tomorrow will give us a clearer picture of her injury. And Clark will be waiting eagerly for sure.

Clark is well aware of A’ja Wilson’s talents

Last year, the entire WNBA was shuddering that they might get to see a higher level of A’ja Wilson. After all, Wilson is a two-time WNBA champion and six-time All-Star. In September 2024, averaging a league-best 27.3 points while hitting 52.7% of her shots, Wilson was busy crafting a season for the history books. On the boards, she was only second to Angel Reese, grabbing 11.9 rebounds a night. And if that wasn’t enough, she led the league in blocks (2.7) and ranked second in steals (1.9), proving she wasn’t just scoring, she was making others regret on defense too.

So, when asked about Wilson before a game last year, Caitlin Clark couldn’t help but flash a smile as she offered a glowing, yet line-to-line honest, take. As quoted by Matthew Byrne of ClutchPoints, “She’s pretty incredible. I mean, you watch her, and it’s just unguardable. There’s nothing anybody can do to stop it. She’s just that dominant..It’s fun to watch…everybody in the league knows you can’t guard it. You basically just live with what she’s going to do to you every single night. It’s just — you contain it as best you can…”

Well, fast forward to this year, and after spending plenty of nights witnessing A’ja Wilson’s dominance, Caitlin Clark finally got one lone chance to not be on the wrong side of it. And you bet she embraced that opportunity with open arms. So, how serious Wilson’s injury is or how serious it might become, Clark will be keeping tabs on everything.