Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark gave a five-minute opening statement to reporters on Friday, July 3 about the narratives that have grown out of Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas‘ flagrant-2 foul on her June 24.
The foul was missed in real-time but Thomas received the flagrant 2, a one-game suspension and a fine after the WNBA reviewed the play. In a statement, the WNBA said Thomas “recklessly” made contact with Clark and “committed a non-basketball act” in the Mercury’s 111-109 victory over the Fever.
“The league’s just got to do better, protecting our players in that regard,” Clark said after acknowledging the officials have a tough job. “I don’t really think that it was up for debate. Obviously it wasn’t called in real time. Go back and watch the clip. I think it’s pretty straightforward. It’s kind of been a discussion for three years now.
“We have to invest in (officials), the technology can get better. We can treat the referees a little bit better. Pay them like their full time employees.”
Clark also said the threats and hate directed toward Thomas and her Mercury teammates need to stop.
“I’ve said up here and said before, the harassment, the hate, none of that is OK,” Clark said. “That goes for the opposing team we play, that goes for my teammates, that goes for my coaches. There should never be question of character.
“None of that is OK, and I don’t want anybody to ever experience that.”
Clark eluded to the fact she has been hurt by all of the narratives created both in the media and online about her and her Fever teammates.
“It can be really frustrating to me at times and it’s difficult,” Clark said. “A lot of people sometimes think I’m a robot. I’m not a robot. I have emotions, I have feelings. And it can be really difficult to go through a lot of that. I’m 24 years old, trying to navigate a lot … there are times that it is hard, and there are times that, you know, it probably affects me a little bit more than I do put on.
“I think it’s important that people do remember that part of it, too.”
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