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Fever coach slams WNBA refs after ‘cheap shots’ on Caitlin Clark: ‘Utterly disrespectful’
The Guardian • • general
Key Points:
- Indiana Fever coach Stephanie White criticized WNBA officials for failing to call several hard fouls against star player Caitlin Clark during a loss to the Phoenix Mercury, highlighting uncalled hits including a punch to Clark's throat.
- Clark exited the game in the third quarter with a back injury; White did not directly link the injury to the no-calls but emphasized a pattern of Clark being officiated differently from other players.
- The incidents included a knee to the groin and a fist to the neck by Mercury player Alyssa Thomas, as well as a questionable foul by Valeriane Ayayi that White believed should have been a flagrant foul.
- White referenced a previous game between the Fever and Mercury that featured multiple technical fouls and an ejection, underscoring ongoing physicality issues and inconsistent officiating in their matchups.
- WNBA officiating has been under scrutiny this season, with a league taskforce aiming for consistent rule enforcement, but White insists that Clark continues to face unfair treatment, calling the missed calls "crazy" and "dangerous."
