Things got intense in a big way last night for Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever, and it wasn’t just about the scoreboard. The WNBA star is battling a nagging groin injury in her second season, and during a tough matchup against the Connecticut Sun, it finally looked like too much. At one point, Clark had to be restrained after getting into it with a ref, and later, she was visibly emotional on the bench. The injury wasn’t getting better, and fans watched as she limped off the court.
But it was her brother, Colin Clark, who really lit the fire afterward. In a now-deleted tweet, he came out swinging at the officiating crew. “Make no mistake, this is on the reffing,” he wrote, reported the New York Post. He accused the refs of letting the game get way too physical and seemed to imply that their lack of control contributed to Caitlin getting hurt.
He’s not exactly alone in thinking that. Fever head coach Stephanie White also chimed in after the game, acknowledging how rough things have gotten out there, especially for Clark.
“There’s a level of physicality that they’re able to play with against her,” White said, according to ESPN. “I’m not exactly sure why, but it just is what it is, and we’ve got to help her learn to adjust and use it against them in certain ways.” She added that the overall physicality in the league has jumped up lately and that the team needs to find ways to take some pressure off Caitlin.
But her comments didn’t sit well with everyone. Some fans felt like she was brushing off the bigger issue. The league’s most high-profile player is taking hits that often go uncalled — and this isn’t new.
Take last month, when Sun guard Jacy Sheldon poked Clark in the eye during a game. That move was followed by Marina Mabrey body-slamming Clark to the court. Mabrey didn’t even get flagged for a flagrant foul at first. And that wasn’t the first time something like this happened. During last season’s playoffs, DiJonai Carrington — also of the Sun — delivered another eye poke that left Clark with a black eye and a miserable shooting night. Again, no foul was called.
So yeah, players on the Sun have gotten away with some questionable contact. And when they keep getting away with it, why would they stop? Refs have barely stepped in. And now Clark’s hurt.
It’s become painfully clear that the WNBA needs to do something. There’s been chatter about a possible work stoppage on the horizon, and like it or not, Caitlin Clark is the league’s biggest draw. She’s the one bringing in record ratings and filling arenas. If she goes down for real, it’s going to hit the league hard, on and off the court.
Fans, family, and even her coaches are saying what a lot of people are already thinking. This isn’t just about playing tough. It’s about protecting your stars. The league better figure this out before it loses the one player keeping the spotlight bright.