In a shocking moment that left fans and commentators stunned, Caitlin Clark, the 2024 WNBA unanimous Rookie of the Year, suffered a brutal eye injury during the opening game of the Indiana Fever’s first-round playoff series against the Connecticut Sun. Within the first 90 seconds, Clark was hit in the eye by rival guard Djai Carrington, causing her to collapse on the court in obvious pain. The injury, which left Clark with a black eye, went uncalled by the referees, sparking widespread outrage among fans and analysts alike.
Many fans took to social media, calling Carrington’s action intentional, demanding better officiating from the WNBA. Dave Portnoy, founder of Barstool Sports, voiced his frustration on X (formerly Twitter), saying, “Why does the WNBA let players wear gigantic nails if they use them as weapons? We’re lucky Caitlin Clark didn’t lose an eye here.”
Despite the injury, Clark showed remarkable resilience by playing the remainder of the game, albeit underperforming. She shot just 23.5% from the field (4 of 17), including a dismal 2 of 11 from beyond the arc. This marked one of her worst shooting performances in recent months. The Fever, heavily reliant on Clark’s offensive prowess, were trounced by the more experienced Connecticut Sun, 93-69, putting them on the brink of elimination from their first playoff appearance in eight years.
Kelsey Mitchell’s 21 points and Aaliyah Boston’s 11 rebounds were the only bright spots for the Fever, who struggled to contain the Sun’s offensive duo of Marina Mabrey (game-high 27 points) and Alyssa Thomas (15th career triple-double). The Fever, despite showing early promise, now face an uphill battle in the best-of-three series.
In her postgame press conference, Clark dismissed any notion that the eye injury was responsible for her poor shooting. “Honestly, I don’t think it affected me. I felt like I got good shots, they just didn’t go down,” Clark remarked. She added that she remained confident in her abilities, despite the difficult circumstances. “It didn’t feel too good when it happened, but it is what it is.”
Clark’s determination to keep playing through the injury won her respect, but her team’s struggles have doubled the pressure on them. With the Fever now staring at an early exit, all eyes will be on Clark and her ability to bounce back in the next game.
Meanwhile, the incident has reignited discussions around officiating in the WNBA. Prominent voices like Ryan Ruocco highlighted the Fever’s lack of playoff experience compared to the Sun, adding that Indiana must improve their composure and resilience under pressure if they want to make a deeper playoff run.
As the WNBA continues to grow in visibility and viewership, rivalries like the one between Clark and Carrington, which began during the regular season, will likely continue to fuel fan debates and media coverage. The Fever will need to regroup quickly if they hope to turn things around and keep their playoff dreams alive.
