Is the WNBA harsh, or is Caitlin Clark receiving “harsh” treatment?
On Friday night in a Washington arena, WNBA rookie Caitlin Clark—the women’s basketball sensation who has taken the globe by storm—created an ocean of orange.
When Clark played in the US capital on Friday, locals from the surrounding communities in Maryland and Virginia and the city itself seemed much more excited to put on the orange Indiana Fever jersey of the star player than to wear the red and blue of the hometown Washington Mystics.
Clark’s name was called by the broadcasters before the game, which the Fever ultimately won in a thrilling finish, and the audience cheered for the star player.
“We’re Caitlin Clark fans tonight, but I’m a Wizards fan officially,” said 26-year-old Briana Florez of Maryland, referring to the area’s NBA basketball team. “And a Washington fan in general.”
The Washington Arena erupted in cheers of appreciation for Clark on Friday, following a week of conjecture and discussion regarding how she has been treated in games since joining the league in March.
In the months that the highly anticipated potential has been dribbling on the WNBA court, she has encountered challenging defensive coverage and fierce competition from other players.
While several of Clark’s supporters have brought up specific instances of particularly brutal movements she has encountered, the majority have focused on a foul that was aired on sports broadcasts over the course of the previous week and ignited a national dialogue regarding the player’s harsh treatment in the US.
Last Saturday, during a Chicago Sky game, rookie guard Clark was given a hard shoulder-check by guard Chennedy Carter, which sent him sprawling to the floor.
Over the previous week, many new fans and analysts—many of whom are taking a closer look at the WNBA now that it is experiencing a fast spike in popularity—called foul, while longstanding viewers of women’s basketball claimed that these were overreactions.
“I find it surprising that the new followers are so surprised,” stated Candace Buckner, a Washington Post sports columnist who frequently covers women’s basketball.
She clarified, “It’s a contact sport.” “You nearly feel like a brand-new opera enthusiast who is shocked to find music.”
Following a week of contentious coverage, reactions from the Washington game’s attendance on Friday were diverse. Some believed Clark was being treated unfairly and harshly in her new league, while others claimed that because of her skill, she was only being watched very carefully.
Susan Abed, a 63-year-old businesswoman who traveled to Washington from her home in Virginia to see Clark play, said, “I think she gets treated a little bit cruelly.” “Honestly, I believe that many players are likely envious of her due to her income.”
The 38-year-old librarian Ashley See declared, “You’re going to get hit. That’s just how the sport is.
“Nobody expects you to get laid out since it’s not a full-contact sport,” she continued. “But, you know, I believe that some touch is normal.”
After receiving harsh condemnation from the public and extensive media coverage, the NBA escalated Carter’s shove that knocked Clark out to a flagrant foul.
Christie Sides, the coach of the Fever, referred to Carter’s foul as “unacceptable” and stated that the club had submitted a number of situations in which they claimed Clark had been handled improperly for examination to the league.
Sides remarked last week, “It’s tough to keep being battered the way she does and to not get rewarded with free throws or foul calls.”
