WNBA analyst Rachel DeMita addressed Caitlin Clark’s viral sideline incident with the Indiana Fever’s defensive coach, Briann January. Clark and January were seen in a heated exchange on the sidelines during the team’s win against the Seattle Storm on Sunday.
Speaking on Monday’s episode of her “Courtside Club” podcast, DeMita called the incident a regular occurrence in professional sports.
“Like, we see with professional athletes, this kind of stuff happens all the time,” Rachel DeMita said on Courtside Club. “It’s inevitable to happen at some point in an athlete’s career that they have a misunderstanding or a heated exchange with the coach.”
She continued:
“Now I am fully aware that there is a microscope on the Indiana Fever’s coaching staff … I do think it is totally fair to criticize a coaching staff. … You’re actually not seeing the other side at all … I’m really upset about it. This is not something to overreact about.”
This is not the only incident that has drawn criticism for Fever coach Stephanie White and her staff. Fans also accused White of sidestepping a question about Clark after the Fever’s loss against the Washington Mystics on Friday.
On Sunday, she was criticized for substituting Clark in the fourth quarter. Fans claimed that she “sabotaged” the guard who was close to notching a triple-double.
White has also repeatedly been criticized, with fans alleging that she is “underutilizing” Clark. The third-year guard is having a solid season, averaging 24.3 points, 5.0 rebounds and 9.0 assists per game, shooting 42.5%, including 32.4% from 3-point range.
The Fever, meanwhile, have split their first four games, losing to the Dallas Wings and Mystics while winning against the Storm and the Los Angeles Sparks.
WNBA fans react to Caitlin Clark’s sideline incident with Indiana Fever coach
While some fans were upset with the Fever’s coaching staff, others directed criticism at Clark rather than the coaching staff. Fans called out Clark, saying that she is “selfish” and “arrogant.” Here are the most noteworthy reactions on X:
“This is why Caitlin Clark has never won, and why Caitlin Clark will never win,” one fan said. “She does not have a COACHING problem. She has a selfish and arrogant EGO problem. THIS is why the Fever used a lottery pick to draft another player at her position.”
“I hope she has someone in her corner checking her for this it’s no defense for it. The team just needs her not to be a liability on defense and the ceiling will get way higher but til then she need to STFU and listen to coach,” another fan said.
“Man u wasting ur time…the CC fans on twitter do not care about actual sports nuances and team concepts…they just want to praise her and be weird about it. Just one big circle jerk,” a fan wrote.
“It’s the reason why she hasn’t won on any level… Not in HS, not in college and not now,” another fan wrote.
“And that’s why the Fever are a better team without her. They won’t get as far to the playoffs this year with her than they did last year without her,” one fan commented.
The Fever will return to action on Wednesday, facing the Portland Fire in their fifth game of the regular season.
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