Basketball-Packed WNBA season in focus as injuries dent All-Star weekend

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By Amy Tennery

INDIANAPOLIS (Reuters) -WNBA players on Friday called for a reassessment of the league’s demanding schedule, highlighting injury concerns after three players, including Indiana Fever sharpshooter Caitlin Clark, were ruled out of this weekend’s All-Star Game.

Clark, the wildly popular All-Star team captain, was expected to be one of the biggest attractions for the WNBA showcase in her home market of Indianapolis, but said on Thursday she would sit it out after suffering a groin injury this week.

The league scrambled to bring in replacements after Atlanta Dream guard Rhyne Howard and Phoenix Mercury forward Satou Sabally also withdrew, marking the latest in a string of injuries affecting top players this season.

“Obviously everyone here plays a heavy amount of minutes and so I think trying to better space out the games is something that we’re trying to talk about,” said Sabrina Ionescu, who captains the defending champions New York Liberty.

“Lengthening the season and not having four games a week with 10-player or 9-player rosters … I think is something that could help.”

The issue was raised during a meeting on Thursday between the players’ union and the league, players said, as they work to iron out a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA) before the 2026 season.

With new club Golden State Valkyries debuting this year, the WNBA expanded teams’ schedules to 44 games, up from 40. Two more clubs join next year and another three are expected by 2030.

“So many games back-to-back or every other day for two weeks – I know everybody went through a rough stretch of that,” said Las Vegas Aces guard Jackie Young, speaking at the All-Star podium days after sustaining a hip injury in a game against the Dallas Wings.

“It’s important that we’re able to get the amount of rest that we need.”

Players have long faced exhaustion due to competing in other leagues during the off-season to supplement salaries that are far below those of their male counterparts.

Minnesota Lynx guard Kayla McBride was preparing to enjoy a weekend off in Turks and Caicos after playing 11 games in 20 days when she was called in as an All-Star replacement player.

“My phone was going off and I’m half asleep and (WNBA Commissioner) Cathy (Engelbert) texts me, ‘Hey, you have a second to talk?’ And I was like, ‘Oh shoot’,” said McBride.

“I had to cancel my flight, get my credits back. I was sad, but then I was happy.”

(Reporting by Amy Tennery in IndianapolisEditing by Toby Davis)