Caitlin Clark has been under the spotlight this season after her scuffles with the officials went viral. The latest one came on the Indiana Fever’s game against the LA Sparks, in which she was seen clapping on the ref’s face and shouting to open his eyes. The incident was heavily criticized among fans, as several highlighted the difference in treatment of other players and Clark.
And now, WNBA analyst Cari Champion has expressed her thoughts on Clark and on Clark’s verbal tussles with officials during games. Featuring on Flagrant and Funny w/ Cari Champion & Jemele Hill, Champion said:
“When her and Tiffany Hayes were going at one another the other night… I didn’t like the way she talked to the ref. And I said, when she was like ‘{clap, clap clap} Open your eyes,’ and he was like ‘clam down, calm down.’ In my mind, I’m like, ‘open you eyes?’ are we allowed to talk to the refs like this?… Can we talk to the refs that recklessly and get away with the things that are being said? And I’ve never seen that before but maybe I haven’t paid attention.”
Referring to a similar event that happened with Paige Bueckers earlier in another game, Champion added:
“The night before, the same ref, from my understanding, dealing with Paige Bueckers, teed her up because she was clapping to not him, but to anyone… That type of blatant favoritism nnoys the hell out of me.”
Several analysts and former players have expressed concerns about the differential treatment Clark has been getting this season. The former Iowa Hawkeyes superstar guard entered the league with a lot of promise for the women’s sport. It also led to the adoption of new CBA deals that have helped the entire WNBA equally.
Stephanie White talks about Caitlin Clark amid relationship woes
The Fever head coach Stephanie White and Caitlin Clark have had a difficult relationship lately after the new WNBA season began. The superstar guard’s last-minute absence from the roster raised several questions. However, in her latest appearance, she talked about her bond with the Fever guard and said:
“I have so much respect and admiration for her, as a player, as a person, the way that she handles herself. We’re very much alike in terms of our competitive fire, our competitive spirit, our perfectionism, so to speak. And Type-A personalities.”
Praising Clark’s work ethic and willingness to learn, White said:
“I have so much respect and admiration for her, as a player, as a person, the way that she handles herself. We’re very much alike in terms of our competitive fire, our competitive spirit, our perfectionism, so to speak. And Type-A personalities.”
White has cleared all doubts about her relationship with Caitlin Clark. That has also impacted their on-court performance, as the Fever has now won back-to-back games after their latest win against the Golden State Valkyries. They will again face the Valks in the next game.
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