Caitlin Clark: WNBABut she’s already well aware of how much more physical the pro game is. Clark has been on the receiving end of multiple hard fouls since the start of her rookie season, and it happened again Saturday in the Indiana Fever-Chicago Sky game, sparking new discussion about how she’s being treated in the league.
Late in the third quarter, Sky guard Chennedy Carter tackled Clark to the ground before receiving an inbounds pass. Carter was only called for a general foul. It looked like a reckless, deliberate play, as Clark was standing 92 feet from the basket. Watch the entire scene here:
Carter has always been an intense player. During his time with the Atlanta Dream in 2021, She was suspended by the team after trying to fight with teammate Courtney Williams.The Sky and Fever played a heated match with a lot of name-calling on both sides, and while Carter lost her cool and should have been called for a flagrant foul, this isn’t really any different to what any other player in the WNBA has experienced, except this time against Caitlin Clark, and the stakes are much higher.
The postgame reaction made the moment even bigger: “That wasn’t a basketball play,” Clark said.
Carter declined to answer questions about Clark after the game.
Chennedy Carter said of her interaction with Caitlin Clark in the third quarter: “I’m not going to answer any questions about Caitlin Clark.”
Full Clip: pic.twitter.com/4bRnyXgPjV
— Matthew Byrne (@MatthewByrne1) June 1, 2024
There’s no doubt that opposing teams are eager to physically attack Clark at the start of his rookie season. Some commentators claim this is because players around the league are jealous of the amount of media attention and sponsorship money Clark is getting. In reality, teams are attacking Clark because That’s just good basketball strategy. And maybe because she swears a lot.
Clark is 22 and needs to build muscle over time to play through contact. Teams are going to try to tire her out by driving and screening, but she needs to play through it. Carter’s sneaky aggression is clearly outside the realm of typical play, but it relates to the second point. Clark swears a lot on the court and plays physical herself. Here is Clark taunting Carter before the foul:
Let’s take a closer look at the Kaitlyn Clark and Chennedy Carter incident. It’s clear that there was more to it than a shoulder check, and that Clark was talking to her on her way back to the floor from Indiana’s previous basket. pic.twitter.com/1XG1RyzTw4
— CJ Fogler’s account may or may not be noteworthy (@cjzero) June 1, 2024
Clark brings extra physical attributes to the mix because she is a fierce competitor herself. Angel Reese He dealt with this same issue during his rookie season..
The Carter foul wasn’t Clark’s first major blow, as he was hit hard in the head by Seattle Storms centre Edji Magbegor just a few games ago.
WNBA Referees Historically, they have not given out many flagrant fouls.Clark doesn’t need to be “protected” any more than other players, but they should be more aggressive in calling flagrant fouls when appropriate, like Carter’s foul.
Clark has adapted well to the physicality of the WNBA so far, both with her comments and her play. After the win against Chicago, the Fever fall to 2-8 overall, but are a young team still learning to play as a team. Clark is having a solid rookie season, averaging 17 points, 6.5 assists and 5.4 rebounds per game, even though she struggled with her scoring efficiency. She was never the best player in the league as a rookie, but she’s still putting up pretty good numbers despite high expectations.
For Clark, playing through the physical toll is just part of the transition to becoming a pro, and it’s not going to end anytime soon.
