Caitlin Clark unleashed her frustration during Wednesday night’s clash between the Indiana Fever and the Golden State Valkyries, a game that saw tension flare due to a contentious no-call.
The Fever’s standout player was visibly upset with a WNBA referee after her teammate, Aliyah Boston, was penalized for fouling Golden State’s Veronica Burton. This came immediately after Clark was denied a foul call during a critical play.
In the moments leading up to the incident, Clark managed to complete a layup despite a challenge from Kiah Stokes that led her to the ground. However, much to her disbelief, no foul was called by the referee.
Clark’s frustration boiled over when Burton was awarded a foul soon after. Reacting fiercely, she waved her arms and confronted the official, expressing her discontent vociferously.
Despite her heated exchange, Clark soon retreated down the tunnel for treatment, only to return to the bench shortly thereafter. Notably, she escaped without a technical foul for her animated protest.
Clark finished with 13 points, six assists and three rebounds as the Fever slumped to a 75-88 loss, with her struggles from beyond the arc continuing in the defeat.
Caitlin Clark went berserk during the Indiana Fever’s game against the Golden State Valkyries
She shot 1-for-8 from three-point range and has a poor record of just 15.8 percent from deep in her last three appearances.
The 24-year-old has been at the center of fierce controversy in the WNBA of late, with Phoenix Mercury star Alyssa Thomas recently punching her in the throat during a game against the Fever.
The shocking incident sparked outrage across the country as fans argued that Clark, who has been subjected to aggressive tactics by players since being drafted by Indiana in 2024, is not receiving protection on the court from WNBA officials.
On Sunday night, she was also floored by Las Vegas Aces player Chelsea Gray in an incident that was reviewed by referees for a ‘hostile act’.
Clark tried to defend Gray during the second quarter of her team’s 109-75 victory, but as she tried to stop her from getting her shot away, the Aces star appeared to use her left elbow to strike her midriff.
The incident led referees to review the play for a potential ‘hostile act’, which infuriated Gray and coach Becky Hammon, who protested the decision to review.
Clark remained on the floor as the review process played out and, when she eventually returned to her feet, she was left holding her back having recently dealt with injury issues.
The Indiana Fever superstar was left incensed by a referee calling for a foul moments after she was not awarded one herself
Clark was recently punched in the throat by Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas in an incident on June 24
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The referees eventually ruled the play a common foul for Clark, which sparked a furious reaction from the Fever star.
After the game, the 33-year-old Gray posted a vile racist message she received to her Instagram story following the clash with Clark.
‘People act like we just make this s*** up,’ she wrote in her caption. ‘And the audacity to tell us as athletes to “shut up and dribble.”‘
Hilton Grand Vacations has since fired an unnamed male employee who is accused of sending the disgusting slur to her on social media.
Gray’s post came after Phoenix’s Thomas faced similar abuse in the wake of her own run-in with Clark last month.
In the days that followed, Thomas said she was racially abused online and received threats toward herself and her family – including her children.
‘Our families are being threatened,’ Thomas, who is Black, told reporters earlier this month. ‘Kids are being threatened. People are sending racial slurs and all types of stuff.
She also appeared to get an elbow to the midriff from Las Vegas star Chelsea Gray on Sunday
‘There’s a difference between trolling and there’s a difference between hatred,’ she continued. ‘The hatred that we’re experiencing over a play that was, honestly, a complete accident, no one even knew what happened, it’s just unfortunate.’
She also directed frustration at the WNBA and its commissioner, Cathy Engelbert, whom she criticized for being silent on the issue.
‘The league has to do better in this instance,’ Thomas said. ‘Honestly, I didn’t even know I was being suspended until 10 minutes before it was being put on social media. We still have yet to hear anything from Cathy.
‘It’s no surprise. You can see what’s being said on social media. It’s unfortunate, but as usual, she remains silent. That’s unfortunate when our lives are being threatened.’