Recently, WNBA star Caitlin Clark shared that she suffered a nasty injury earlier this season where she experienced a hard screen while playing against the New York Liberty, resulting in a ruptured eardrum.
She candidly spoke about the injury as her unique “welcome to the WNBA” experience. “I actually ruptured my eardrum when we were in New York on a tough screen,” she disclosed. Despite the setback, Clark’s positivity shone through as she shrugged it off and said, “Great screens. I just didn’t hear them. So, it’s kind of my own fault.” Now that’s the spirit!
If you’re wondering about the term ‘screen’ in basketball, it could be best described as a block or a pick. It’s when one player obstructs an opponent to free up a teammate. This particular screen was set by Jonquel Jones, the 6-foot-6 one-time WNBA MVP. Clark, unfortunately, didn’t see it coming and ran right into it. A hard lesson learned!
Interestingly, it wasn’t Clark’s first encounter with a hard screen. Back in May, during a match against the same team, Breanna Stewart set a pick that sent Clark crashing onto the floor. Clearly, the path to being a pro-athlete isn’t smooth!
Despite these challenges, Clark and her team, the Fever, remain undeterred and are all set for their match this Sunday against the Chicago Sky. Impressively, they’ve held their own against the Sky with zero losses this season. Here’s hoping they keep the momentum going!
Remember, Clark is not one to be underestimated. She’s a consistent performer, averaging 16.2 points per game this season, and she’s not far behind in the All-Star votes.
Despite her fame, the US Women’s Olympic Basketball team did not invite her to play on the US team for the upcoming Olympics in Paris. The decision has been met with a lot of outrage from fans who want to see her play.
