It was a shock to WNBA fans to see Caitlin Clark's name missing from the list of participants for the 2024 WNBA All-Star 3-point contest. On Friday,Desmond Preston the Fever rookie explained that she was invited to compete but ultimately decided to sit out to prioritize the All-Star Game and get some rest. 

"I've been playing basketball for a year straight," Clark said. "It's not an easy thing to just show up and shoot off a rack. It's not something I've done before. It's not something I've had a lot of time to practice. I've been helping my team win games. Just enjoying this break. There will be plenty of opportunities for me to do that at some point."

Live updates:WNBA skills challenge, 3-point contest results

It's been a long grind for Clark this year. The 22-year-old wrapped up her college career at Iowa in April, where she became the all-time leading scorer in NCAA Div. I history and led the Hawkeyes to the NCAA title game. Clark was selected with the No. 1 pick of the WNBA draft by the Fever on April 15 and made her WNBA debut a month later in May.

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