On June 2, 2024, Caitlin Clark faced the New York Liberty and had the worst game of her life. It all started with a devastating blindside screen that left her with an extremely painful injury. The latest information sheds a great deal of light on an absolutely awful performance.
She tore her eardrum open!
In a humiliating defeat on June 2nd, Clark—who is averaging 16.2 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 6.2 assists per game—scored just three points with two boards and five assists. It was the worst competitive basketball game she has played in at least four years, if not ever. The Fever lost by 36 points.
Shortly afterward, Clark disclosed that she was experiencing a “pretty gross” injury, but she did not specify what it was. Ear pain was mentioned, but no other information was given.
https://twitter.com/MatthewByrne1/status/1799206700408574242?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1799206700408574242%7Ctwgr%5Ec836a10d3b28fac797e324197b0cc28231de7c40%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fbrobible.com%2Fsports%2Farticle%2Fcaitlin-clark-ear-drum-screen-injury-liberty-fever-wnba-video%2F
It turned out that during the awful performance versus New York, Clark actually tore her eardrum; a snapshot from that game captures the anguish in real time.
During a news conference on Friday, Clark was questioned about her “welcome to the WNBA” moment. She mentioned that she had experienced a couple blindside screens, one of which resulted in a severe collision with the Liberty that injured her ear.
https://twitter.com/ItsMeghanLHall/status/1804279345587867893?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1804279345587867893%7Ctwgr%5Ec836a10d3b28fac797e324197b0cc28231de7c40%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fbrobible.com%2Fsports%2Farticle%2Fcaitlin-clark-ear-drum-screen-injury-liberty-fever-wnba-video%2F
Clark did not elaborate on the particular incident, but it most likely included the 6-foot-6, 215-pound Jonquel Jones. The former did not see the last. She was blown away.
https://twitter.com/CClarkReport/status/1804288348510720215?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1804288348510720215%7Ctwgr%5Ec836a10d3b28fac797e324197b0cc28231de7c40%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fbrobible.com%2Fsports%2Farticle%2Fcaitlin-clark-ear-drum-screen-injury-liberty-fever-wnba-video%2F
Ear injuries, including ruptured eardrums, frequently result in difficulties with balance. The ear contains the vestibular system, which regulates posture, equilibrium, and eye movements.
It makes perfect sense that Caitlin Clark would play the worst game of her life on the day that she tore her eardrum. She had no sense of where she was or how to balance. It knocked her out of rhythm and made it difficult for her to play at her best.
