Reporter Bruce Snyder took aim at the WNBA after Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark’s physical encounters. His comments came shortly after Clark’s outburst towards officials over a no-foul call during the Fever’s game against the Golden State Valkyries.
Snyder didn’t hold back in a post on X, writing:
“I’ve watched sports my entire life, and I have never seen a player targeted this openly or relentlessly.”
“The constant hard fouls, cheap shots, taunting, and harassment directed at Caitlin Clark have gone far beyond normal competition. It’s grotesque, and the league’s continued failure to protect one of its biggest stars is becoming impossible to ignore.”
His remarks echo a growing section of fans and analysts who believe Clark has not been properly protected by the league. The Fever star herself addressed the officiating after the Valkyries game, where she had also yelled at a referee’s face.
“I got kneed right in the quad, that hurts, the ref can’t miss that,” she said postgame. “And then I have to play with a contusion in my leg for the rest of the game. Ridiculous, you can’t miss calls like that.”
Adam Silver Defends Caitlin Clark
The debate surrounding Clark’s treatment prompted NBA Commissioner Adam Silver to address the situation.
“I’m not going to comment on that, because I don’t think it’s fair to Caitlin [Clark] — and to [WNBA Commish] Cathy Engelbert either. That’s not the real issue here.”
“I think that ultimately, the issues around Caitlin Clark are not largely about officiating. And that particular incident is not about whether a foul should have been called at the time of the game or whether that was ultimately a flagrant non-review,” he added.
Silver said that he believes the controversy goes beyond officiating alone.
“I’ve come to know Caitlin really well. She’s an incredible player and also an incredible person. And she wants to focus on being the best player she can. And she’s become a bit of a political football in this country, and I think it’s incredibly unfair to her,” he continued. “I don’t think that issue is ultimately about officiating. It’s become political ping-pong with her.”
With Snyder’s latest comments adding fuel to the heated debate, scrutiny over how the WNBA officiates games involving Clark is unlikely to go away anytime soon.
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