Caitlin Clark had one simple reason to skip three-point contest

Indiana Fever rookie guard Caitlin Clark told reporters on Friday that her decision not to compete in the WNBA's All-Star weekend three-point contest came down to one simple reason — rest.

"Honestly, I think just, rest. I've been playing basketball for a year straight," Clark said. "It's not an easy thing to just show up to and shoot off of a rack. It's not something I've ever done before. It's not something I've had a lot of time to practice. I've been focusing on helping my team win games."

The NCAA's all-time leading scorer added that she thinks she'll have "plenty of opportunities" to take part in the event "at some point," but for now, she's looking forward to a break.

"I think the biggest thing that is was for me is just, I need a break and I need to take some time to myself to enjoy what I want to do," Clark said. "At times that can be tough, being in the position that I'm in, but I think it's healthiest for myself."

While many of her Fever teammates had all offseason to get ready for the 2024 campaign, the 22-year-old Clark faced the task of preparing for her professional debut on May 14 against the Connecticut Sun just over five weeks after concluding her college career. Clark's Iowa Hawkeyes fell to the South Carolina Gamecocks in the NCAA national title game on April 7.

It's been an up-and-down first half for the two-time AP Player of the Year, as she leads the WNBA in assists per game (8.2) and is third in three-point field goals (71), but has the most turnovers (145) in the league as well. Clark's made 32.7 percent of her attempts from deep and ended the pre-All-Star slate on a historic note , recording a WNBA-record 19 assists on Wednesday.

Indiana started the season 3-10 but has gone 8-5 since then. The Fever and the rest of the league will go on a one-month hiatus following All-Star weekend, though some players will be traveling to Paris to compete in the Summer Olympics.

While she won't be in Friday night's three-point contest, Clark will be on the floor during Saturday's All-Star Game as part of "Team WNBA."