The flagrant foul on Caitlin Clark last weekend and the rough play she faced in the WNBA has been at the center of basketball conversations over the past few days, and now NBA Commissioner Adam Silver is giving his opinion.
Not only does he think Clark has the ability to handle herself on the court, but he also believes the ongoing discussion about the women’s game will ultimately be a big positive for the WNBA.
Silver spoke to reporters on Thursday before Game 1 of the NBA Finals between the Celtics and Mavericks on a variety of topics, and was ultimately asked what he thought about the flagrant foul Clark received from the Sky’s Chennedy Carter on Saturday.
The NBA commissioner didn’t say much about the shoving in question, but did say Clark was a “tough player.”
“As a fan, it’s obviously not uncommon in basketball to have a moment where you’re welcomed into the league, especially for a high-profile rookie,” Silver said. “But of course, I hope that Kaitlyn is treated fairly and appropriately in the league. She seems like she can take care of herself. She’s a tough player.”
In a game between the Fever and Sky, Clark appeared to be arguing with Carter throughout the game, but in the third quarter, Carter body-checked the No. 1 draft pick on an inbounds pass.
“It wasn’t a basketball play,” Clark told ESPN during the game, and Carter initially refused to answer questions about the foul but then said this week that he didn’t regret the play but that outside of the game it’s “all about love.”
The play has been commented on by numerous pundits, commentators and even members of the U.S. Congress, with University of Connecticut coach Geno Auriemma recently saying Clark isn’t ready for the physical side of the game.
“I think she’s dealing with it well. [it] “She swears a lot, she gets sweared at a lot, so she deserves everything she takes because she gives it her all. She’s not adapted to the physical intensity of this league, and she’s not agile enough to get away from the physical intensity,” Auriemma said Thursday on “The Dan Patrick Show.”
“Like Diana, there’s a lot of learning curve. [Taurasi] “Once she gets it, she’ll have some elite skills that will really help her, but she needs to be on a better team and get more experience, and that will happen.”
Clarke and her talented rookie roster drove measurable increases in viewership this year, including a record 2.446 million viewers who tuned in to watch the WNBA Draft.
“I think this is a very healthy thing for women’s basketball and the WNBA,” Silver added. “It’s generated a lot of interest. In fairness to the other players and the commissioner, [Cathy] “This isn’t something that just started happening this year, Engelbert. It’s been fueled by not only Caitlin, but by a lot of the stars that have come into the league in the last few years.”
