Tennis legend Chris Evert sharply criticized some WNBA players following a contentious game that saw Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark involved in multiple physical altercations. Evert voiced her frustration with the level of sportsmanship displayed, suggesting that not all players appreciate Clark’s positive impact on women’s basketball.
The incident prompting Evert’s comments occurred during the Fever’s game against the Connecticut Sun. In the third quarter, Sun player Jacy Sheldon committed a flagrant foul on Clark, poking her in the eye. Following heated words between the two, Sun center Marina Mabrey ran over and shoved Clark to the ground.
While Sheldon received a flagrant one foul, Mabrey was assessed only a technical foul and remained in the game. Clark and Sun player Tina Charles also received technical fouls during the ensuing exchange. Later in the fourth quarter, the physicality escalated further when the Fever’s Sophie Cunningham pulled Sheldon down by her hair, leading to flagrant fouls and ejections for Cunningham, Sheldon, and the Sun’s Lindsay Allen.
Evert Questions Sportsmanship and Clark’s Impact
Reacting to the sequence of events, particularly the lack of ejection for Mabrey and the overall intensity directed at Clark, Chris Evert took to social media platform X.
“When will these ladies realize, accept, and appreciate @CaitlinClark22 is the best thing that ever happened to women’s basketball,” Evert wrote. She added, “This is a bad look for the sport and what’s happened to sportsmanship?”
Evert’s sentiment was echoed by columnist Christine Brennan, who stated on X that the “WNBA continues to fail to meet the moment,” specifically calling the decision not to eject Mabrey a “terrible decision.” Brennan highlighted the increased scrutiny on the league, noting, “People are watching as never before. And this is what they see?”
Ongoing Debate Over Physicality and Officiating
The incident against the Sun is far from the first time Clark has been at the center of intense physical play. Just days prior, Chicago Sky rookie Angel Reese was assessed a flagrant foul for hitting Clark in the head during a game, adding another chapter to their high-profile rivalry. Earlier in the season, Sky teammate Chennedy Carter also drew attention for a hip-check on Clark that was later upgraded to a flagrant foul. Clark was even assessed a technical foul herself in a game against the Minnesota Lynx for swiping her arm in frustration and making contact with a defender’s face. This history of technical fouls adds context to her receiving one in the Sun game as well.
WNBA crew chief Ashley Gross explained after the Sun game that Clark received a technical foul for “unsportsmanlike manner” after Sheldon’s flagrant foul. However, Fever coach Stephanie White expressed frustration post-game, stating she received no explanation for Clark’s technical and generally imploring officials to do a better job controlling heated matchups. White has been vocal about officiating inconsistencies throughout the season, noting, “Everybody’s getting better, except the officials.”
Differing Perspectives on Clark and League Play
While many observers agree with Evert and Brennan that the physicality directed at Clark sometimes crosses a line, others within the WNBA community offer a different perspective.
WNBA legend Sheryl Swoopes and former NBA player Gilbert Arenas have discussed the intense media focus on fouls against Clark. While Arenas has referred to Clark as a “flopper” who draws fouls, Swoopes has pushed back against the narrative that players are overly targeting Clark, suggesting Clark herself “pushes off” defenders. Swoopes has characterized some fouls against Clark as standard “basketball plays” and argued that the reaction, particularly on social media, is often “lopsided” and comes from people who “really don’t know the game and understand basketball.” She points to equally physical fouls or injuries to other players that haven’t garnered the same outrage, suggesting the intense scrutiny on Clark stems largely from her immense celebrity status during a period of unprecedented WNBA viewership.
Ultimately, the physical incidents involving Caitlin Clark continue to fuel a broader debate about sportsmanship, officiating standards, and the perception of fairness within the increasingly popular WNBA.
