Caitlin Clark left the court in tears during the closing seconds of the Indiana Fever’s game Tuesday night after appearing to suffer another injury. She limped away from a play involving a bounce pass to teammate Kelsey Mitchell and, in visible frustration, walked toward the basket and bumped her head against the padding. The star guard, who has been dealing with a groin injury, had recently returned to the lineup after missing several games.
Her brother, Colin Clark, took to social media shortly after the incident, expressing anger over how the game was officiated. “Make no mistake, this is on the reffing,” he wrote in a now-deleted post on X. His reaction reflects a growing frustration shared by many over the league’s handling of physical play, especially targeting top players like Caitlin.
The issue of physicality has been a season-long concern in the WNBA. Earlier this year, tensions boiled over in a game between the Fever and the Connecticut Sun, where unchecked aggressive play led to a brawl. Critics say officials have allowed games to become too rough, raising questions about player safety.
Following Tuesday’s match, Fever head coach Stephanie White acknowledged the intensity directed at Clark. She pointed out that such physical play was something she noticed even when coaching against her. While she avoided blaming referees directly, White admitted they need to find ways to help Clark adapt and respond strategically to the pressure.
White also noted a broader trend of increasing physicality across the WNBA, calling it more intense than in recent years.
Caitlin Clark’s condition after the injury has not yet been officially updated.
