Caitlin Clark breaks her silence on fear of injury

Caitlin Clark joked that she looked “really soft” after she fell to the ground injured and screamed in pain during the Indiana Fever's victory over the Atlanta Dream.

Clark sparked injury fears on Monday night after she apparently sprained her ankle at State Farm Arena and television cameras caught her on the floor in visible pain.

After being examined by Indiana staff, the 22-year-old was able to get back on her feet and continue playing, helping her team to an 84-79 victory.

In her post-match press conference, Clark revealed that she had sprained her ankle earlier in the day, but downplayed the severity of the injury, although she insisted it was painful.

“Yeah, I saw the replay… I looked all soft,” she joked. “It wasn't that bad of a turn, but it hurt.”

“Sometimes you just have to take a second. If you've ever sprained your ankle, it just burns a little bit. They said, 'Do you want to go to the back?' I said, 'No, please just tape up here, let's go, we have to move on and get on with the game.'”

“I've done it a few times, so it is what it is. You're not a real basketball player until you've sprained your ankle. Then you know it.”

Clark finished the night with 19 points, seven rebounds, as many assists and two steals as the Fever passed the Dream.

Kelsey Mitchell led for Indiana with 29 points and seven rebounds, while Aliyah Boston had a double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds.

Clark admitted that she had sprained her ankle during the night, but downplayed the severity

It was a sensational start to the WNBA for Clark, who set another record in her loss to the Minnesota Lynx on Saturday.

Thanks to her 23 points and eight assists against the Lynx, the rookie phenom became the fastest player in the history of professional women's basketball to reach 500 points and 200 assists, just three months after starting her Fever career.

She also helped set a new attendance record in Atlanta on Monday night when 17,608 fans flocked to State Farm Arena to watch her battle the Dream.