Latest news with #injury
Yahoo
4 minutes ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Caitlin Clark's sophomore season has been marred by injury, with her home WNBA All-Star in doubt. Could physicality be a factor?
NEW YORK — While the Indiana Fever and New York Liberty warmed up in the final 10 minutes before tip-off on Wednesday night, fans formed a semi-circle in the crowd near the tunnel. Caitlin Clark stood among them to sign a few items before joining teammates on the court in a full black sweatsuit. Clark was out with a right groin injury after tweaking it late in the prior night's win over the Connecticut Sun in Boston. Her status for this weekend's All-Star events, including her first 3-point competition and leading Team Clark, is in doubt. Fever head coach Stephanie White said Clark had an MRI and there 'hasn't been any discussion beyond tonight' in New York. 'Caitlin and her team will make decisions when it comes to All-Star,' Fever head coach Stephanie White said before the 98-77 loss. 'And for me, it's a big deal for us to have All-Star in Indianapolis and of course, with Caitlin being a focal point of all of that. As a coach of the Indiana Fever, it's not a bigger deal than our long-term season, but [All-Star] is also part of the fun. These are conversations that Caitlin will have with her group. I probably won't be a part of those, but we're going to support her no matter what.' The team listed Clark as questionable on its first availability report of the day and ruled her out ahead of its arrival at Barclays Center. White said the decision came after seeing the imaging. 'Anything that we're talking about 'day-to-day' is always good news for me,' White said. 'But that's a layman's viewpoint.' Clark's potential absence puts a damper on what was primed to be an explosive All-Star in her WNBA home city, where she is serving as the de facto chair. Indianapolis submitted and received approval for hosting All-Star less than a year ago, deep into Clark's record-breaking rookie season, while the Fever smashed attendance and merchandise marks. Players, including Clark, will start the weekend with collective bargaining agreement (CBA) negotiations between the union and the league on Thursday. The 3-point and skills competitions are Friday night, and the All-Star game is Saturday. The league announced its 3-point contestants on Tuesday, hours before the game in Boston. Clark did not compete in the competition a year ago. Sabrina Ionescu, the WNBA record-holder, is set to compete alongside Kelsey Plum, Allisha Gray and rookie Sonia Citron. Clark drafted her team opposite Napheesa Collier a week ago, building a group that featured Fever teammates Aliyah Boston and Kelsey Mitchell. She also has various event appearances as the player with the largest draw the league has ever seen. White and Fever teammates said their first concern, in the less than 24 hours since the injury, has been keeping Clark's spirits up. Clark injured her groin in the final minute of Tuesday's game and was visibly frustrated in the aftermath, slamming her head into the stanchion and growing emotional on the bench. 'Anytime you're injured like that, it's frustrating,' Sophie Cunningham, who dealt with an ankle injury earlier this season, said pregame. 'It's not just physically. It's a mental toll. Being in rehab; [when] you're injured you're in the gym way more and it's way harder than when you're healthy. We're just trying to keep her positive.' It is the fourth injury Clark sustained this season (White said, to her understanding, it's not a 're-injury as much as a different kind of injury' in the connected area of the body). Clark sat out the team's first preseason game with quad tightness and played the next day when Indiana hosted the Brazilian national team at her alma mater, the University of Iowa. After the Fever dropped to 2-2 on the season in a tight loss to New York, Clark hit the bench for five games with a left quad strain. Her return lasted five games before she missed time in late June with a left groin injury. The game against Connecticut was her fourth back in the lineup. 'Being injured and continuing to have setbacks is frustrating mentally [and] emotionally,' White said. 'Oftentimes, being injured is isolating.' Before this season, the last injury Clark sustained was in high school. She did not miss a single game at Iowa, nor in her rookie season. She missed her 10th game of the Fever's 23 on Wednesday. At this point in the season, injuries pile up everywhere, and to many of the game's best players. New York remains without center Jonquel Jones, who has targeted the July 22 home game against the Fever as her first back since June 19. 'Having a longer season, having less games, and [not] on top of each other. I think that's the only solution,' Sandy Brondello, the Liberty head coach who will lead Team Clark this weekend, said pregame. 'Because these players are conditioned, but sometimes that's part of the game. And yeah, so hopefully, maybe in the future, we'll have a longer season [and] less games in a week.' The number of games increased again this year while the footprint of the season remained the same. The playoffs will also be more of a grind with a best-of-seven series awaiting in the WNBA Finals. Brondello said muscle injuries might be a load thing, but many injuries are 'just bad luck, too.' In Clark's case, the defensive intensity she sees nightly could be a significant factor. The league is known for its physicality, though it's bordered on the cusp of poor officiating to the claims of players and coaches alike this season. White called it out earlier in the year after a dust-up with the Sun resulted in ejections. After Sunday's Fever win over the Wings, video of commentators calling out the four uncalled fouls on Clark in one early play made rounds this week. The same ESPN broadcast reported that rookie Paige Bueckers told them she had to learn how to defend while fouling — different than her coaching at UConn — because players get away with it. When asked specifically if the physicality factors into Clark's injuries, White agreed. 'It causes you to load differently,' White said. 'Causes you to explode differently. It causes you to accelerate and decelerate differently. It's not the free flowing movement that we want to see when it comes to freedom of movement. And I think all of those things at times, while it might not be one blow or another over time, can contribute to that. That's why freedom of movement is a huge emphasis, from our coaches standpoint, when we have conversations at the league level.' And now, it's unclear if Clark's movements this weekend will involve launching 3 pointers (and even 4s) on the court, or sitting on the sidelines, watching as a fan.
Yahoo
40 minutes ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Chargers Announce Decision On Najee Harris After Fireworks Injury
Chargers Announce Decision On Najee Harris After Fireworks Injury originally appeared on The Spun. A scary July 4th incident will reportedly result in a training camp delay for Chargers running back Najee Harris. The ex-Steelers Pro Bowler suffered a superficial eye injury in a fireworks accident a couple weeks back. And while it isn't expected to keep the 27-year-old veteran out for long, he won't be a full participant when LA's camp opens on Thursday. Per Daniel Popper of The Athletic, "Chargers GM Joe Hortiz said Najee Harris (eye) will likely begin training camp on [the non-football injury list]. Harris is expected to report to The Bolt later today, per Hortiz. Harris has been receiving treatment from doctors at Stanford." On July 10, Harris' agent Doug Hendrickson came out and broke the news that his client had been involved in the unfortunate occurrence: "Najee Harris was present at a 4th of July event where a fireworks mishap resulted in injuries to several attendees," Hendrickson's statement read. "Najee sustained a superficial eye injury during the incident, but is fully expected to be ready for the upcoming NFL season." Harris signed with the Chargers this offseason on a one-year, $5.25 million deal after spending his first four seasons in Pittsburgh. The former Alabama star has rushed for 1,000 yards and at least six touchdowns every year of his professional career and has never missed a Announce Decision On Najee Harris After Fireworks Injury first appeared on The Spun on Jul 16, 2025 This story was originally reported by The Spun on Jul 16, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Rapoport: Najee Harris 'not expected to miss significant time' due to eye injury from July 4 'The Insiders'
NFL Network's Ian Rapoport: Los Angeles Chargers running back Najee Harris 'not expected to miss significant time' due to eye injury from July 4.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Ottawa Senators Captain Brady Tkachuk Provides Full Health Update
Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk is skating pain-free again and says he's fully recovered from the injury that plagued him through the last couple of months of the 2024–25 season. On Monday, during an appearance on the Coming In Hot podcast, Tkachuk gave a full summertime health update, confirming that he's finally back to 100% after battling through injuries that began at the 4 Nations Faceoff in February. More Sens Headlines:Key Takeaways From Senators Development CampFive Former Senator First-Rounders All Found New NHL HomesIs Yakemchuk In The Sens' NHL Plans For This Fall?Steve Staios' Top Five Trades (So Far) As Senators GMClaude Giroux Reveals Why He Signed Back In Ottawa Tkachuk was asked by host Brent Wallace how long it took after the season to get healthy. 'I definitely went with a more conservative approach,' Tkachuk said. 'I wouldn't say I had like anything major, just you know, just (needed) rest. And I think it took six weeks off of not doing anything. And then doing some little rehab exercises, but I really just tried letting rest do its job. And no, I feel great, actually. I feel like I really turned the corner the last couple of weeks and feel back to 100%. I started skating July 1st and I've been feeling really good. So, I'm happy with the progress and where everything's at.' Tkachuk also shared what the main issue had been: 'It was mostly like the hip flexor, groin, just all in that general vicinity. I don't know, I just pulled it, and it obviously didn't heal, just kept playing on it. So, it just kind of bugged me for the rest of the way. But I'm glad we kind of took the time after to reset it. Honestly, it feels 100 percent. I feel great. So, now I'm happy with kind of how everything's been going and how I'm feeling right now.' As he went deeper into the details, Tkachuk explained how the injury management became a balance between pushing through and preparing to heal properly afterward: 'It had been like three weeks to a month of just shutting it down. And obviously at that point in the season, there's no tomorrow to shut it down for. I just knew it was going to be a problem probably after the season that I'd have to get figured out. So, no, it's good. I mean, it happened for a reason. So, it kind of allowed the mental side of things to take over when it wasn't feeling great 100% physically." Now, with skating resumed and the injury behind him, the 25-year-old captain is focused on the season ahead. For a Sens team looking to take the next step in 2025–26, having their emotional leader and top forward healthy and re-energized is a great step in the right direction. Watch Tkachuk's hour-long appearance on the Coming in Hot Podcast here. By Steve WarneThe Hockey News OttawaImage Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images More Sens Headlines:Can The Senators Count On Dylan Cozens To Consistently Produce?Expectations For The Senators' Mount Rushmore Of Old GuysSens Rewind: Looking Back On The Sens Season Of 13 GoaliesSam Gagner Says Hockey IQ Is TeachableCreating The Sens Opening Night Roster Based On Salary
Fox News
2 hours ago
- Sport
- Fox News
Fever coach says Caitlin Clark's All-Star game appearance up in the air as team focuses on 'long-term' health
NEW YORK – Caitlin Clark's status for the WNBA All-Star Game remains undecided after the Indiana Fever guard was ruled out of Wednesday night's game against the New York Liberty with a groin injury. Fever head coach Stephanie White told reporters in a pregame news conference there has not been any talk about Clark's availability for All-Star weekend, which will be hosted by the Fever at Gainbridge Fieldhouse beginning Friday. Clark is due to compete in the 3-point contest Friday and serve as a captain in Saturday's All-Star Game. "No discussion yet about this weekend," White said. "There was imaging done, and, obviously, we're ruling her out for tonight, but there hasn't been any discussion beyond tonight." Clark sustained a groin injury late in the fourth quarter of Indiana's win over the Connecticut Sun in Boston Tuesday night. White said she did not believe it was a "reinjury." Clark missed time in May due to a quad injury and was recently sidelined for five games with a left groin strain. "I'm not really sure that it's a reinjury as much as a different kind of injury. I know oftentimes when you're working with injuries in the groin and the quad and the hamstring and all of those things, there's just — they're all kind of tied together, and it's not always just one thing." White added that a "slow" approach to getting Clark back on the court has always been the priority for both the success of the team and Clark "long term." "The big picture is the most important — for her health and wellness, long term and for our team. And we've been very slow in making sure that every time she comes back that she's ready. So, we'll continue to approach it like that. I mean, long term is the most important." White called the latest update on Clark's injury "day-to-day," adding she sees that as good news. "You'd have to ask the athletic training staff. I mean, I consider it good news just because, for me, it's anything that we're talking about still day-to-day, is always good news for me. So, but that's the layman's viewpoint." Follow Fox News Digital's sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
