Caitlin Clark Talks Smack, Gets Technical After Nailing Three-Pointer vs. Storm

May 31, 2024 Jimm Sallivan

There have been plenty of people making a run at Caitlin Clark during her rookie season in the WNBA, as defenses hone in on the Indiana Fever’s star guard as the focal point of their defensive game plan.

Clark hasn’t been one to back down from the competition, however, and after draining a big three-pointer against the Seattle Storm on Thursday night, she could be seen getting face-to-face with one of her opponents.

While walking back on defense after her deep three, Clark could be seen jawing back and forth with Storm’s Victoria Vivians. The pair got up close and in each other’s faces before Aliyah Boston swooped in and pulled her teammate out of the situation.

SPICY CAITLIN CLARK HAS ARRIVED 🌶️🚨

pic.twitter.com/FtZ8VaLYpL

— Women’s Hoops Network (@WomensHoops_USA) May 30, 2024

Clark didn’t look too pleased with Vivians as she turned to head back down the court, and they appeared to bump shoulders before being separated.

Officials assessed Vivians and Clark with double technical fouls and play resumed shortly after. Thursday’s incident marks the second technical of the season for Indiana’s prized rookie, having picked up her first in a game against the Connecticut Sun on May 20.

1 Jun 24 Jimm Sallivan

Caitlin Clark Decries Chennedy Carter’s Hard Foul During Fever’s Win Over Sky

Saturday's game between the Indiana Fever and Chicago Sky was supposed to be a celebration of the WNBA's most heralded rookie class ever, with Fever guard Caitlin Clark squaring off against Sky forward Angel Reese and center Kamilla Cardoso.

While still a memorable game—Indiana won 71–70—it became yet another unfortunate referendum on Clark's reputation throughout the league.

Late in the third quarter, Chicago guard Chennedy Carter slammed into Clark on an inbounds pass and was called for an off-ball foul.

When the quarter was over, Clark was asked about the foul.

“Yeah, that’s just not a basketball play,” Clark said via The New York Post. “But you know I’ve gotta play through it, that’s what basketball is about at this level.”

Chennedy Carter fouls Caitlin Clark on the inbound. Away-from-play foul called. pic.twitter.com/LodLF5oKMF
— Matthew Byrne (@MatthewByrne1) June 1, 2024

With the win, the youthful Fever improved to 2–8 on the season.

8 Jun 24 Jimm Sallivan

Basketball Fans Question Caitlin Clark’s Team USA Snub for 2024 Summer Olympics

Indiana Fever rookie Caitlin Clark, who starred at Iowa and is a key reason for the boom in popularity of women's basketball over the last couple of years, was reportedly left off Team USA's roster for the 2024 Summer Olympics.

There's an argument to be made that Clark would be at the end of the bench if she did make Team USA this summer, but it's still a curious decision to leave her off the roster given her draw in media.

While Clark has been up-and-down in her first season as a professional, she brings eyeballs to the television and the arena, as exhibited by the sellout crowd of 20,333 in attendance to see Clark and the Fever take on the Washington Mystics on Friday night at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C. The sellout crowd was the largest WNBA crowd in 17 years.

Largest WNBA crowd in 17 years—20,333—sees Fever beat Mystics, 85-83.
Caitlin Clark makes 7 threes, scores 30 points, adds 8 rebounds, 6 assists, 4 steals.
The two teams are a combined 3-20. pic.twitter.com/zqlNMMXyht
— Keith Murphy (@MurphyKeith) June 8, 2024

Clark had her best game of her rookie season in front of that crowd, scoring 30 points on seven made threes, while adding eight rebounds, six assists and four steals.

Clark joins Dallas Wings guard Arike Ogunbowale as notable snubs for the summer Olympics roster. Here's who Team USA will be bringing instead, which is undoubtedly a loaded group.

The Team USA Women's Basketball Olympics roster has been announced, per @ShamsCharania and @joevardon 🇺🇸
A'ja Wilson
Breanna Stewart
Diana Taurasi
Alyssa Thomas
Brittney Griner
Napheesa Collier
Jewell Loyd
Kelsey Plum
Jackie Young
Kahleah Copper
Sabrina Ionescu
Chelsea Gray pic.twitter.com/222FOOhAAh
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) June 8, 2024

On television draw alone, many expected Clark to make the roster. Now that she hasn't, basketball fans across social media are outraged.

Christian Laettner made the Dream Team. Caitlin Clark can’t make the women’s Olympic basketball team? What mostly pays for the Olympics — oh wait — revenue generated from broadcasting partners. As in TV. As in Caitlin is TV GOLD. Opportunity wasted.
— Colin Cowherd (@ColinCowherd) June 8, 2024

Caitlin Clark has been left off the Olympic women’s basketball roster. Women’s basketball hates its fans and doesn’t want to grow their game. That’s the only conclusion you can draw from their treatment of Clark. She would quadruple their viewership by herself. No brainer.
— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) June 8, 2024

I don’t know enough about USA women’s Olympic basketball to know if Caitlin Clark’s omission is a snub. I do know that, right now, she would be the only reason I would remotely care about USA women’s Olympic basketball. https://t.co/IAP8bulQXg
— Alexi Lalas (@AlexiLalas) June 8, 2024

I really want to hear the decision making behind leaving Caitlin Clark off the USA Basketball roster. Because I can’t fathom an explanation that makes sense.
— Chris Mannix (@SIChrisMannix) June 8, 2024

Leaving Caitlin Clark off Olympic team is terrible for NBC Sports, which is paying billions for U.S. TV rights.
She would have absolutely super-charged Olympic TV audiences the way she did in college and now in the pros.
Short-sighted doesn't begin to describe this decision. https://t.co/bRLVA6ZEbB
— Michael McCarthy (@MMcCarthyREV) June 8, 2024

Caitlin Clark being left off the women’s Olympic team shows you how dumb their marketing team is.
It’s laughable at this point.
— Jake “JBOY” Crain (@JakeCrain_) June 8, 2024

8 Jun 24 Jimm Sallivan

Caitlin Clark Had Such a Perfect Answer When Asked If She Watched Game 1 of NBA Finals

Caitlin Clark is a supporter of all women's sports, not just the WNBA.

Prior to Clark's game with the Indiana Fever on Friday night, an 85-83 Fever win over the winless Washington Mystics, the rookie was asked if she had tuned into Game 1 of the NBA Finals between the Boston Celtics and the Dallas Mavericks, which had tipped off Thursday night.

Clark's response was perfect.

Caitlin Clark was asked if she watched the NBA Finals last night: “I had the women’s college softball World Series on instead… there’s a girl that pitches for Texas who’s a freshman that actually lived a couple streets over from me growing up.”
Full clip: pic.twitter.com/p2domXbQcz
— Matthew Byrne (@MatthewByrne1) June 7, 2024

"To be honest, I had the women’s college softball world series on instead," Clark said. "It was a little bit better of a game, but when I flipped back to the NBA... Yeah I was flipping back and forth."

"There’s a girl that pitches for Texas who’s a freshman that actually lived a couple streets over from me growing up, so I was rooting for the Texas Longhorns, unfortunately, they couldn't get it done. I think that's even just a great display of women's sports and where it's going. I've always been a big fan of women's softball and women's sports across the board, so I was moreso watching that."

Clark did acknowledge that she's watching the finals, though she also admitted that the Indiana Pacers, who lost to the Boston Celtics in the conference finals, not making it affected her interest levels a bit.

But the bigger point here is Clark's unwavering support for women's sports across the board. As arguably the biggest driver of interest in the WNBA at the moment, Clark has the ability to help lift up nearly any other women's sport she supports or has an interest in.

Clark was doing just that by bringing attention to the women's college softball world series.

US Sports News

Caitlin Clark Talks Smack, Gets Technical After Nailing Three-Pointer vs. Storm

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