Being the face of the WNBA isn’t easy, and Caitlin Clark has gone through a lot since she was drafted No. 1 by the Indiana Fever in 2024. Over the past few seasons, Clark has been a significant catalyst for the league, helping them grow with her massive following.
However, there’s a narrative that other players are jealous of the Fever star. This is why they play rougher and more physically whenever they match up against Clark. According to former NFL star Emmanuel Acho, the WNBA star needs to start fighting back to send the league a message.
Acho encouraged Clark to step up and stand up for herself on Friday’s episode of “Speakeasy.”
“Caitlin Clark gotta fight one of these women. She has to fight one of these women,” Acho said. “Caitlin, eventually, if you fight somebody, now they will know, the next time they try you, they’re going to have to fight. You might lose, but they’re not going to want to fight you every single time.
“The fact of the matter is, they treat you like a roach that’s intruded into their house. And a roach that steps into your house, you step on. That’s what the hell you do to roaches. Right now, the WNBA athletes, they treat you like an insect.”
Acho said that if Clark retaliates just once, others will stop challenging her on the court. The former athlete said this in the wake of what happened between her and Phoenix Mercury star Alyssa Thomas.
On Wednesday, fans were disappointed when referees failed to call a foul on Thomas, who had her fist on Clark’s throat. This happened after the Mercury star went after a steal. The following day, the league announced that the six-time All-Star received a flagrant 2 foul and was suspended for a game.
Stephanie White is Not Happy With How Caitlin Clark is Officiated
Fans of Caitlin Clark think the Fever star has an unfair whistle when compared to other WNBA stars. Even coach Stephanie White vocalized her frustration regarding how she gets treated by the referees.
“We’ve got to be better. I think I’m pretty consistent in messaging that we need consistency, not just in how a game is officiated but how players are officiated, and how Caitlin is officiated,” White said on Friday.
White said that she was disappointed that the officials didn’t recognize it in real-time. Fortunately for the Fever, the league reviewed the play, and Thomas received punishment for the play on Wednesday.
Following Wednesday’s 111-109 loss, Caitlin Clark is dealing with a lingering back injury and had to leave during the second half of the contest. White said that there’s no indication on how long she will remain out.
Edited by Reign Amurao