Caitlin Clark incident leaves WNBA fans concerned ahead of new season

WNBA fans blasted the league’s officiating after Caitlin Clark was not given a foul call during the Indiana Fever’s 81-76 win over the Atlanta Dream on Saturday

WNBA fans expressed concern regarding the league’s officiating after Caitlin Clark did not receive a foul call following a hard collision.

On Saturday, Clark and the Fever put the finishing touches on their perfect preseason with a 81-76 win over the Atlanta Dream. Indiana previously secured two exhibition victories over the Washington Mystics and Brazil’s women’s national basketball team.

Though Clark did not log any minutes in Indiana’s preseason opener, she did take the court for her highly-anticipated return to Carver-Hawkeye Arena – during which she propelled her team to a 108-44 victory.

Despite nursing an injury for much of the preseason, Clark asserted that she is more than ready for the 2025 campaign and the added pressure that her sophomore season brings.

With just over three minutes remaining in the third quarter of the Fever’s latest win, Clark spun off guard Shatori Walker-Kimbrough and drove to the basket. She was promptly met in the paint by Rhyne Howard, who went up the star guard and contested her shot.

Upon crashing to the hardwood, Clark crumpled up into a ball and looked up at a nearby official expecting a foul call – but a whistle never blew.

Taking to social media, droves of viewers slammed the WNBA for not calling a foul. “New year. Caitlin Clark still getting assaulted with no foul calls. Okay bro yall got it,” one X user wrote, with another adding: “It’s frustrating with the WNBA. She never once went to FT line.”

Others insisted that Howard did no wrong, alleging that Clark instead flopped during the play. “Don’t do this. She kinda flopped here bruh,” one person said. Someone else argued: “She’s the biggest crybaby flopper in the history of the WNBA quit your complaining.”

Caitlin Clark crashed hard to the court after attempting a layup in the third quarter

A fifth chimed in, “Blatantly ignoring the hook on the initial move, then she extended her elbow and arm out while going up.”

This is hardly the first time that officials’ treatment of Clark has become a topic of fierce debate. Last June, the 23-year-old acknowledged that defenders won’t always be called when playing tough defense on her after receiving a shoulder check from Chicago Sky guard Chennedy Carter.

“It is what it is,” Clark said at the time. “I feel like I’m just at the point where you accept it and don’t retaliate. Just let them hit you, be what it is, don’t let it get inside your head and know it’s coming.

“I think at this point I know I’m going to take a couple of hard shots a game and that’s what it is. I’m trying not to let it bother me and just stay in the game and stay in what’s important because usually it’s the second person that gets caught if you retaliate.

“So I’m just trying to stay in the game and focus on my team and focus on what’s important.”