Indiana head coach Stephanie White is frustrated by the latest perceived "cheap shots" directed at Fever star Caitlin Clark.
White risked a potential fine from the WNBA on Wednesday night blasting the officials for not calling what she considered "egregious" fouls against Clark during a 119-109 loss to the Phoenix Mercury in Indianapolis.
Clark was bumped around twice in the second quarter and wound up leaving the game with 5:15 left in the third due to back issues. She did not return.
"We have a generational
talent and WNBA superstar who had two cheap shots (against her) right there that weren't called," White said. "Absolutely unacceptable."
The first no-call happened with 6:52 left in the first half when Clark drove into the lane and fell on her side following contact with Phoenix defender Lexi Held. In the ensuing scramble for the ball, Mercury star Alyssa Thomas pushed her fist into Clark's neck before getting up and stepping over Clark.
"No. 1, you've got to call it. It's absolutely egregious and utterly disrespectful," White said.
About 20 seconds later, Phoenix defender Valeriane Ayayi closed out on Clark as she attempted a 3-pointer and Clark came down on Ayayi's foot. Officials whistled the foul and the play was reviewed, but White was upset that it wasn't upgraded as a reckless closeout.
White, whose Fever (10-8) lost for the third time in four games, said she talked to officials at halftime about both of the plays in question.
"Yet we still had 11 fouls in the fourth quarter to their two," White said. "They still shot 24 free throws in the second half."
White pointed out that two nights earlier, there were six technical fouls -- one issued to Clark -- and one ejection during Indiana's 86-77 win against Phoenix.
"(The officials) are coming in here aware of what happened two nights ago, and that s-- still happens," White said. "And the reckless closeout that they actually reviewed ... that wasn't upgraded. To me that's like a do-over on a test; how do you screw it up again?
"Absolutely disrespectful. We spent all offseason looking at officiating, and I still say the one thing that we keep asking for is consistency. (Clark) is not called the same way as everybody else is called. The fist in the throat is crazy. It's crazy. It's dangerous. ... When you have these things continue to happen time and time and time again, eventually it gets frustrating."
Clark is averaging a career-high 21.2 points, 8.2 assists and 4.0 rebounds through 17 games (all starts) this season.
Clark, 24, was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft following a record-setting career at Iowa. She won Rookie of the Year honors in 2024 and made the All-Star team in each of her first two seasons despite missing 31 games last season due to various injuries.
--Field Level Media
