NBA commissioner Adam Silver will not confirm a report he stepped in over suspending Alyssa Thomas for a foul against Caitlin Clark and he doesn’t seem thrilled the matter has reached the point of receiving Congressional attention.
Speaking during CNBC’s Game Plan Summit at Fanatics Fest, Silver complained that discussion around Clark has led to “political ping-pong,” while praising her as a player and person.
“I’ve come to know Caitlin really well. She’s an incredible player and also an incredible person. And she wants to focus on being the best player she can. And she’s become a bit of a political football in this country, and I think it’s incredibly unfair to her. I don’t think that issue is ultimately about officiating.
“It’s become political ping pong with her. And she’s a young woman who’s trying to improve her game, focus on being the best player as she can. And I don’t even think it’s fair to her that this has become a separate storyline about one foul – should it have been called in time or should it have been called a flagrant after the fact?”
“I’ve come to know Caitlin really well. She’s an incredible player and also an incredible person. And she wants to focus on being the best player she can. And she’s become a bit of a political football in this country, and I think it’s incredibly unfair to her. I don’t think that issue is ultimately about officiating.
“It’s become political ping pong with her. And she’s a young woman who’s trying to improve her game, focus on being the best player as she can. And I don’t even think it’s fair to her that this has become a separate storyline about one foul – should it have been called in time or should it have been called a flagrant after the fact?”
Silver added that he does believe WNBA officiating needs to be improved but that his “day job is getting complains about NBA officiating.”
Specifically asked about that report, Silver declined to comment, again via Schaefer:
“I’m not going to comment on that, because I don’t think it’s fair to Caitlin – and to Cathy Engelbert either. I think that’s not the real issue here. What people are trying to make a larger issue around that— not as to whether that was a flagrant foul or not. Obviously, the league decided after the fact that not only should a foul have been called, but it was a flagrant foul.
“Yes, we need to improve WNBA officiating, and there’s lots of work to do on NBA officiating as well, but I really think there’s an opportunity to support Caitlin and say, let her be the best basketball player she can be.”
“I’m not going to comment on that, because I don’t think it’s fair to Caitlin – and to Cathy Engelbert either. I think that’s not the real issue here. What people are trying to make a larger issue around that— not as to whether that was a flagrant foul or not. Obviously, the league decided after the fact that not only should a foul have been called, but it was a flagrant foul.
“Yes, we need to improve WNBA officiating, and there’s lots of work to do on NBA officiating as well, but I really think there’s an opportunity to support Caitlin and say, let her be the best basketball player she can be.”
As far as basketball goes, Clark has struggled in three games since returning from a back injury. She’s averaged 11.3 points, 3.8 assists and 4 turnovers while shooting 35.1% from the field and 15.8% from 3-point range in that span.
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