Caitlin Clark has taken the basketball world by storm in recent years, but the WNBA phenom has been criticized for one aspect of her game in particular by a former coach.

Caitlin Clark’s tendency to be too vocal with referees has been highlighted by a former coach who tried to rid her of the habit.

The 22-year-old basketball phenomenon has made waves in her historic yet young career, breaking records left, right and center. She topped the WNBA in assists last season having previously smashed the points records at Iowa Hawkeyes and across NCAA leagues for both men and women.

Yet fame isn’t without its critics, and Clark’s interactions with match officials have been noted. Head coach of the Hawkeyes, Jan Jensen, shared her thoughts on Cris Mailander’s YouTube channel.

She started by praising Clark’s impact, saying: “Inarguably, whether you like her or not, she spun it all on its head.” But Jensen also highlighted a concern, adding: “She played with that flair, and I had plenty of conversations if she chirped to the refs too much.”

Notably, this isn’t a new narrative for Clark, as former coach Lisa Bluder voiced similar concerns after a college victory over Nebraska. Bluder said: “My message is to let me do the talking to the officials… That’s my job – I just want to do my job.”

Recalling what she told Clark on the matter, Jensen continued: “‘That’s not passionate. Don’t be using that as an excuse. That was bad sportsmanship’.”

Meanwhile, Clark has previously justified her actions on the court. She said: “I have a great relationship with a lot of the officials… But I’m feisty and competitive, and they know that. I think they do a great job. We’re not perfect, but sometimes I disagree with them.”

Clark also accumulated six technical fouls in her debut season with Indiana Fever, just one shy of earning a match suspension.

So it seems this could be an area of concern that Stephanie White, her new coach, may need to address as Clark gears up for her sophomore year in the WNBA.