Despite a rocky beginning to her WNBA journey with the Indiana Fever, collegiate basketball star Caitlin Clark has demonstrated extraordinary perseverance. The Fever kicked off the season with a tough 2-8 record but clinched their first home victory in a nail-biting 71-70 win over the Chicago Sky.
While the Fever’s win was pivotal for their season hopes and bouncing back from a rough start, the spotlight was stolen by a hard foul from Chennedy Carter late in the third quarter.
Carter’s aggressive foul on Clark as the third quarter wound down proved to be a turning point. Though it wasn’t labeled a flagrant foul, the resulting free throw awarded to the Fever turned the game in their favor. This incident highlighted yet another episode of the rough treatment Clark has been subjected to since entering the WNBA, possibly the final straw for many fans.
Post-game, when Carter was questioned about the play, she curtly responded, “next question,” opting not to elaborate on the controversial foul that has stirred significant chatter on social media and in the press.
Indiana Fever’s Coach Voices Her Frustration
One person who has had enough is Fever coach Christie Sides. She took to Twitter to express her frustration: “This is unacceptable @wnba When will the consistent complaints be heard?!? Something has to be done!”
In her post-game comments, Sides also commended Clark for her poise amidst the physical play and voiced her hope that the WNBA would take measures to protect their rising star.
“Just more happy that Caitlin handled it the way she did. You know, it’s tough to keep getting hammered the way she does and to not get rewarded with free throws or foul calls. She’s continued to fight through that. Appreciate that from her. Really, really proud of her for doing that.”
Caitlin Clark boasts averages of 17.6 points, 5.1 rebounds, 6.6 assists, and 1.2 steals per game, with a shooting percentage of 37.7% from the field.