Caitlin Clark issued savage five-word message after Rhyne Howard altercation

Caitlin Clark had a five-word response to Rhyne Howard after she got into a brief altercation with the Atlanta Dream star in the first quarter of the Indiana Fever’s five-point win

Caitlin Clark #22 of the Indiana Fever yells at ref about a call during the first quarter of a game between the Indiana Fever and Atlanta Dream at State Farm Arena on May 22, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia

Caitlin Clark had a five-word response after Rhyne Howard’s rough foul in the Indiana Fever’s 81-76 win over the Atlanta Dream.It is fair to say Clark arguably is the biggest star in the WNBA, with WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert claiming the Fever star is the “most popular athlete in America.” Clark’s play on the court has captivated fans, while opposing players have game-planned to make the star guard’s life as miserable as possible.And in the Fever’s win Thursday night, it was clear the Dream wanted to make anyone else beat them. From the start, Atlanta had a player stick to Clark regardless of where she was on the court, with Howard getting the primary assignment on the star guard.

With less than 30 seconds left in the first quarter, the two were caught in an altercation. As Clark brought the ball up the court, she met Howard, and as the latter attempted to play tough defense, it appeared as if the former took exception with the play.

As she reached half-court, Clark pushed Howard out of the way with her left forearm as the whistle blew. Once play stopped, Howard got into Clark’s face as the two continued to shove one another briefly after the fact.

Players from both teams then went to separate the two, with Clark walking to the bench alongside her teammates. As the Fever star walked to the bench, she was spotted mouthing something to the effect of “I’m not scared of you” in Howard’s direction.

Caitlin Clark #22 of the Indiana Fever reacts as she draws a foul from Rhyne Howard #10 of the Atlanta Dream during the fourth quarter at State Farm Arena on May 22, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia

After the brief altercation, all Clark could do was look toward the crowd, shake her head and smile as the two were separated from one another.

Judging by how the Dream defended Clark, it was clear Atlanta’s game plan against the star worked, with the 23-year-old scoring 11 points on 4-of-11 shooting from the field and 0 of 5 from 3-point land to go with six assists and four rebounds. Natasha Howard led all scorers with 26 points

Meanwhile, Howard scored 24 points on 8-of-17 shooting from the field with five rebounds, two assists, two steals and one block in the loss.For Clark, her 0 of 5 shooting night from beyond the arc snapped a historic feat. The star guard’s 42 straight games with a 3-pointer made was the longest streak to start a career in league history.