Caitlin Clark slammed for making ‘a fool of herself’ during Indiana Fever defeat
Caitlin Clark was involved in various altercations with officials on Friday night as the Indiana Fever saw their five-game winning run come to an end
Caitlin Clark has been criticized for her actions during Indiana Fever’s Minnesota Lynx defeat (Image: Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Caitlin Clark, the rookie sensation of Indiana Fever, has come under fire for her conduct during their loss to Minnesota Lynx in the WNBA.
The young star was accused of “making a fool out of herself” due to her inability to control her emotions and repeated confrontations with referees during the Friday night game. The Fever’s five-game winning streak was broken by the Lynx in a 99-88 defeat, despite Clark contributing 25 points.
However, her demeanor throughout the match drew criticism, particularly when she remained on the floor after believing she had been fouled while contesting a rebound, instead of helping her team defend. Outspoken pundit Jason Whitlock, who is known to be one of Clark’s biggest fans, lambasted the former Iowa star.
In a post on X, Whitlock wrote: “Caitlin Clark made a fool of herself last night. Embarrassing performance. Her lack of emotional control and hyper-focus on arguing with and showing up the refs caused the Fever to lose composure and meltdown.”
He continued: “She has a well-earned bad reputation with the refs. No player in the WNBA spends more time whining and bickering with the refs. Last night she took it to a new level. She behaved like a 12-year-old entitled brat. This has to be fixed and addressed. It’s not a one-off. It’s been there all season. It’s gone uncorrected, so it’s getting worse. The Fever won’t reach their potential until Clark grows up. “, reports the Mirror US.
Jason Whitlock posted a video of Caitlin Clark with the caption ’embarrassing’ (Image: WNBA)
He elaborated: “Her lack of emotional control is the biggest obstacle for the Fever. She’s the leader of the team and Aaliyah Boston has followed Clark down the whiny path. It has to end. The refs, for good reason, do not like the Fever.” Whitlock then posted a video of Clark sprawled on the floor after a no-call, with the caption: “Embarrassing.”
In another tweet, Whitlock remarked: “She showed these exact tendencies at Iowa. ‘The problem is getting worse, not better. I love her. But she’s a brat and diva on the court.”
Clark admitted she needed to do better after the game (Image: Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Post-game, Clark acknowledged her need for better emotional regulation when calls don’t go her favor. “I think there’s definitely a line,” she conceded.
“I was frustrated and thought I got fouled a couple times in the second half on mid-range jump shots. It happens.”
“Sometimes you get calls, sometimes you don’t. It is what it is. I think I could have done a little bit better job controlling my own emotions. I think there’s a line and sometimes your passion, your emotion can get to you, but that’s not something I would ever change or anybody on our team would ever change.”
With a playoff berth clinched, the Fever are set to face off against the Atlanta Dream on Sunday afternoon.
