Chris Evert expressed support for Caitlin Clark as the debate over the Indiana Fever star’s treatment in the WNBA rages on.
Teams have grown increasingly physical while trying to contain Clark, and an incident during the Fever-Mercury game on June 24 brought the matter back into the spotlight. After battling for a loose ball, Alyssa Thomas’ fist made contact with Clark’s neck. She also appeared to knee Clark in the stomach. No foul was called on the floor, but the WNBA reviewed the incident and suspended Thomas for one game.
Clark has been on the receiving end of nine flagrant fouls since entering the WNBA in 2024.
Sportscaster Dick Vitale said Clark deserved to be treated like “royalty” for the impact she has had since arriving in the league, contributing to phenomenal ratings growth and sold-out arenas.
“Absolutely makes “No Sense” that Caitlin Clark is targeted in such a negative manner by many of her peers. She should be treated like ROYALTY for what she has done for the
WNBA,” Vitale tweeted.
Chris Evert echoed Vitale’s sentiment.
“Agree totally ❤️,” she wrote.
Clark missed the games against the Los Angeles Sparks and the Las Vegas Aces. She returned to action on Wednesday against the Sparks on a minutes restriction, scoring six points and delivering three assists in 12 minutes. She will sit out the next game against the Mercury on Thursday.
When Chris Evert said Caitlin Clark was the best thing to happen to women’s basketball
In June 2025, during a regular-season game between the Indiana Fever and the Connecticut Sun, Caitlin Clark was involved in a controversial incident. In the third quarter of the Fever’s 88-71 win, Clark was poked in the eye by Jacy Sheldon while being defended, prompting her to push the Sun guard. In response, Marina Mabrey shoved Clark to the ground.
Videos of the incident quickly circulated online, and Chris Evert took a strong stand for Clark.
“When will these ladies realize, accept, and appreciate Caitlin Clark is the best thing that ever happened to women’s basketball,” she wrote. “This is a bad look for the sport and what’s happened to sportsmanship?”
Evert recently announced that she has been diagnosed with cancer for the third time and is focusing on her health.
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