The controversy around Caitlin Clark and the WNBA took another turn after ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith weighed in on the league’s handling of physical play, urging officials not to let unnecessary incidents overshadow one of the sport’s biggest stars.
Smith’s comments came just before the WNBA suspended Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas for one game due to her contact with Clark’s throat during Wednesday’s game against the Indiana Fever. Although no foul was called during the game, the league gave Thomas a Flagrant 2 foul and suspended her on Thursday.
Smith supported Indiana coach Stephanie White’s criticism of the officiating.
“You’re not the NBA,” Smith said on “First Take” on Thursday. “You don’t have an 11-year, $77 billion contract. … Don’t get in the way of the cash cow.
“You don’t sit up there and pave a way for her and don’t compete — nobody’s implying that. But you certainly ride that tidal wave of popularity and use it to your advantage to build the game, not compromise and hurt the game by taking her out whenever you get the opportunity to do so.”
“I’m not calling anyone a dirty player, but it did feel a little bit like a cheap shot,” Smith said. “If the NBA is going to review calls, the WNBA can review calls and act retroactively and make sure that you hand down appropriate punishment where you deem necessary.”
Caitlin Clark’s Injury Raise Major Concerns In WNBA
Clark scored 19 points and eight assists before exiting the game with a back injury in the third quarter of the Fever’s 111-109 loss. After her departure, the team struggled to maintain the pace and eventually lost.
The exact severity of the injury remains undisclosed, but the team is treating it as a chronic management issue.
The WNBA made the decision to suspend Thomas a day after the game. Still, a one-game suspension didn’t sit well with the community.
“One game?! Seriously? What she did would be considered a felony in almost every state. At least 5 games with a probation period that says, “any further behavior of this sort will result in a lifetime ban”. But we get it, she checks way too many boxes huh?” one fan wrote.
With Clark continuing to drive television ratings, attendance and interest in the league, voices across the basketball world believe protecting the league’s star while maintaining a competitive play will remain one of the WNBA’s biggest challenges moving forward.
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