“Caitlin Clark is the most marketable American athlete in the world. Nobody can convince me otherwise.” That bold claim from Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy might sound exaggerated. That is, until you take a closer look at the numbers, the headlines, and the frenzy surrounding her every move. At just 23, the Indiana Fever guard has shattered records and redefined what it means to be a rookie in the WNBA, while also grabbing the ROTY trophy.

But during a recent matchup between the Indiana Fever and the Chicago Sky, fans saw a different side of her. Clark wasn’t making waves on the court due to her injury. But being sidelined to the bench didn’t stop her from turning heads. This time, however, it was in a negative light.

In a viral clip from the game, Clark can be seen visibly angry at her teammates. While on court, the Indiana Fever guard is the one who calls the shots and orchestrates attacks. Clark was not happy with how her team was conducting the offense during the game against Sky. “When you have an open shot, shoot the f*****g ball,” said Clark to her team when they were on a timeout.

Later in the clip, Clark was seen pointing angrily at a teammate. The 23-year-old had a look on her face that showed a mix of disappointment and anger. However, these intense moments clearly stem from the players’ competitive nature. In the heat of the game, where every point counts, emotions can flare. More than anything, this brief exchange shows how much Clark wants to get back on the hardwood and carry her team to victory. But for that, she would have to recover from her groin injury. Unfortunately, that could be a while.

Will Caitlin Clark miss out on more games due to her injury?

As of now, the Indiana Fever guard has missed more games than she has played. The first report of her injury came on June 26, when she was listed as day-to-day by Indiana. Within two weeks, she was back on court. While this elated her fans, her stats showed a different picture. The player was nowhere near performing to the best of her abilities.

In the four games she played, she averaged 12.5 points, 8.75 assists, and 1.75 steals per game. Furthermore, her field goal percentage and 3-point percentage dropped sharply to 30.9% and 23.1%, respectively. For comparison, her field goal percentage and 3-point percentage this season were 36.7% and 27.9%, respectively. Clark’s injury flared up again, clearly indicating something was wrong and forcing her to the bench.

Looks like the Indiana Fever head coach Stephanie White has taken responsibility for it. According to what ESPN’s Holly Rowe said, “Stephanie White did tell us that they will be even more cautious in their approach to her return to play this time.” Rowe also revealed that Clark didn’t get adequate practice or ramp time when she first returned on July 9.

This begs the question of why this happened in the first place. CC is more valuable to the WNBA than other athletes are to their leagues. She pulls in viewership and drives merch sales higher. Indiana is pulling in nearly a million viewers per game, and it’s all because of Caitlin Clark. So the only thing fans can hope for now is the complete recovery of Clark before she returns to court.

Furthermore, her frustration about not playing is understandable, but she shouldn’t take it out on her teammates.