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Caitlin Clark Leaves Dallas Game, Future Status Unclear

5/2/2026

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Summary

Story summary

Caitlin Clark left the May 1, 2026 preseason game against the Dallas Wings after a flagrant-1 foul assessed to forward Alanna Smith.
She scored a team-high 21 points on 4-of-6 shooting and 11-of-13 free throws in 16 minutes.
Coach Stephanie White said the removal was a precaution, Clark needed no further evaluation, and her status for the May 2 game against Nigeria is uncertain.

History

Historical Context

The WNBA launched its inaugural season in 1997 and has repeatedly revised rules to safeguard players, from the 2006 shot-clock cut to the 2020 collective-bargaining agreement that added a prioritization clause for late camp returns. That tradition underlies today’s dispute after Caitlin Clark’s 21-point debut for the Indiana Fever was met with a flagrant-1 foul and her benching by coach Stephanie White.

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Story summary

Caitlin Clark left the May 1, 2026 preseason game against the Dallas Wings after a flagrant-1 foul assessed to forward Alanna Smith.
She scored a team-high 21 points on 4-of-6 shooting and 11-of-13 free throws in 16 minutes.
Coach Stephanie White said the removal was a precaution, Clark needed no further evaluation, and her status for the May 2 game against Nigeria is uncertain.

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