It’s happened: a packed WNBA season, once hailed as transformative, is now under intense scrutiny as injuries derail the All‑Star Weekend—raising critical questions about player health, scheduling, and the league’s long-term viability.
The 2025 WNBA season has been star-studded in both promise and peril. At its mid-point, the 2025 WNBA All‑Star Weekend, staged at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, was anticipated as a marquee showcase. Instead, key stars including Caitlin Clark and Satou Sabally were forced to withdraw with injuries, casting a shadow over the league’s brightest celebration.
A‑Star Absences Shake Up the Lineups
Caitlin Clark, the face of the league, was sidelined with a right groin injury, ruling her out of both the All‑Star Game and the 3‑Point Contest despite being the top fan vote-getter and a team captain. Clark is considered “day to day,” but had missed 10 of her team’s first 22 games before the All‑Star break, and this recurrence reiterated her season-long struggle with lower-limb issues.
Also withdrawing was Satou Sabally, the Phoenix Mercury forward and original All-Star selection, out with another lingering ankle injury, making this her third missed All-Star appearance.
Their absences prompted swift roster changes. Brittney Sykes (Washington Mystics) and Brionna Jones (Atlanta Dream) replaced Clark and Sabally, respectively, Sykes earning a first career All-Star berth and Jones adding to her four existing appearances. Kayla McBride was also added earlier in the week following Rhyne Howard’s knee injury.
The Bigger Picture: Season-Wide Injury Surge
Clark and Sabally were hardly alone. Rhyne Howard (Atlanta Dream starter for Team Collier) was ruled out after a serious knee injury sustained just days before the All-Star event. Angel Reese also missed time with a wrist injury, though the extent was initially deemed precautionary. All together, three of five starters for Team Clark had been sidelined during or immediately before the all-star break.
Overall, the league has seen a sharp rise in injuries. One tracker logged 105 injuries through June 24—a quarter into the season—against 204 across all of 2024 and 175 in 2023. Elite backcourt players like Kelsey Plum, Angel Reese, and Clark have borne the brunt of physicality, with increased head/neck and knee issues attributed to inconsistent foul calls.
All-Star Weekend Lost Its Luster
With marquee names like Clark and Sabally missing, the All-Star Game’s hype dimmed—especially since Clark had been expected to headline both the game and contest in her hometown. She still remains on site and even assisted coach Sandy Brondello from the sidelines, but her playing absence struck a chord. The league had heavily marketed the event around her presence, and her withdrawal inevitably affected both atmosphere and engagement.
Scheduling Under Fire
The season’s expansion—with 44 regular-season games compressed into the same timeframe as prior seasons—has drawn widespread criticism. Commentators and players have cited the condensed schedule—including stretches like nine games in 18 days—as inherently risky. Sabally herself called out leadership, asking bluntly whether the WNBA’s commissioner was reckless in loading games without proper spacing for rest and recovery.
Coaches and sports scientists warn that such a schedule leaves athletes vulnerable to cumulative muscle strain, particularly when recovery windows narrow, travel intensifies, and cross-training is deprioritized. Clark’s string of groin and quadriceps injuries—never missing a game until this season—underscore exactly that risk.
Officiating and Physicality: Crosswinds of Danger
Another key concern: inconsistent officiating and unchecked physical play. The Washington Post has criticized officiating trends that allow aggressive contact to go unpunished, effectively turning enforcers loose at the expense of star guard safety. Analysts tie the rising rate of backcourt injuries to these lapses in foul enforcement, arguing they not only endanger players but harm the spectator product as stars miss games.
Season Impacts and Player Management
Caitlin Clark’s sophomore season, which opened with sky-high expectations, has turned rocky. Despite averaging 16.5 points, 8.8 assists, and 5.0 rebounds—down from her breakout rookie campaign—her availability has been hampered. Missing nearly half of her team’s games and the Commissioner’s Cup final, her statistics and shooting percentages (notably 27.9% from three-point range) reflect the toll that repeated muscle troubles have taken.
The Indiana Fever, at 12-11 and sitting sixth in the standings at the break, face a steeper climb now with their centerpiece on the mend.
What Needs to Change
- Schedule review: The league and WNBPA must revisit the compressed structure to reduce injury risk.
- Officiating overhaul: Better foul enforcement—especially around guards—could reduce avoidable physical wear.
- Player load management: With more games and travel this year, teams may need stronger protocols to prevent muscle fatigue.
Final Word
The WNBA’s growth trajectory is undeniable: bigger media deals, higher ratings, record-breaking fan engagement. But the All-Star Weekend mishap—shaped by high-profile injuries—illuminates systemic cracks. Recalibrating scheduling, safeguarding players through consistent officiating, and building room for rest will be vital. Without those changes, star-driven moments may continue to fade under the weight of the very season meant to showcase them.
