When the WNBA announced the participants for the 2026 3-Point Contest on Tuesday, there was one notable omission: Caitlin Clark. The Indiana Fever star once again declined her invitation to participate in the event.
According to ESPN’s Alexa Philippou, Clark was one of three star players who were invited to compete but ultimately passed on the opportunity.
Defending champion Sabrina Ionescu and Minnesota Lynx guard Kayla McBride were the other two notable stars who turned down invitations.
This marks the third consecutive season that Clark has opted out of the marquee event.
Clark skipped the competition during her rookie season in 2024. Then, when Indianapolis hosted the 2025 WNBA All-Star Weekend, she was sidelined with an injury, forcing her to miss the festivities entirely. While there had been speculation that the former Iowa star would finally make her long-awaited 3-Point Contest debut this year, fans will now have to wait at least one more season.
As soon as the news broke, fans quickly flooded social media to share their reactions to the Fever guard’s decision to skip the contest. Some of the most notable reactions included:
Clark, who was selected to her third consecutive All-Star Game, has built a reputation as arguably the best three-point shooter in the WNBA. She is averaging 2.5 three-pointers made per game this season.
While her exact reasons for opting out have not yet been made public, her decision could be related to lingering back issues, as she continues working her way back to full health.
While she opts out of the event, Dallas Wings guard Azzi Fudd, Portland Fire forward Bridget Carleton, Seattle Storm guard Natisha Hiedeman, Atlanta Dream star Rhyne Howard, Toronto Tempo veteran Marina Mabrey, and Golden State Valkyries forward Janelle Salaun will compete in this year’s 3-Point Contest on July 25 at the United Center.
Caitlin Clark Named WNBA Eastern Conference Player of the Week
Caitlin Clark has been playing at an incredible level since mid-July, and she has now added another accolade to her collection this season.
On Tuesday, the WNBA named Clark the Eastern Conference Player of the Week for the week of July 13-19. During that stretch, she averaged 25.0 points per game, scoring 75 total points – the second-most by any Eastern Conference player during the week.
On July 17 against the Storm, Clark exploded for 45 points and 10 assists, becoming the first player in WNBA history to record 40+ points and 10+ assists in a single game.
She followed up that historic performance with a near double-double in the next game, recording 17 points and seven assists in a 108-88 win over the New York Liberty to seal the Player of the Week honors.
Clark currently ranks sixth in the WNBA in scoring, averaging 20.7 points per game. She also sits second in the league in playmaking, averaging 7.8 assists per contest.
With the WNBA All-Star break approaching, Clark will get a few days to recover. It will be interesting to see whether she can carry this momentum into the second half of the season after the break.
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