INDIANAPOLIS — The WNBA did not rescind the technical foul Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark received in Monday’s win over the Phoenix Mercury, the league told The Athletic on Wednesday. Clark’s technical foul will stand, which keeps her at five technical fouls on the season. If players reach eight technical fouls, they are automatically suspended for one game, per league rules.
“We should all just go on the calendar now and pick a game that I’m gonna be suspended for if I’m gonna get technicals for clapping,” Clark said.
Clark was assessed a technical foul in the fourth quarter of Monday’s game after a dust-up with Phoenix Mercury forward DeWanna Bonner, who was formerly Clark’s teammate on the Fever. Clark fouled Bonner, and the two appeared to take exception to the physicality and exchanged words. After teammates and officials separated Clark and Bonner, Clark began clapping toward Phoenix players, an act the officials deemed as “instigating,” according to Clark.
Clark called the technical foul she received “ridiculous.” She specifically called out referee Gerda Gatling, who gave Clark her fifth technical foul of the season.
“Gerda said that I got a technical for clapping,” Clark said. “So, if any technical should be taken away, it should be that one, if it’s truly for clapping. That’s what they said they gave it to me for. It’s just ridiculous. I don’t understand it at all.”
“I went to Gerda, and I said, ‘Why’d you give me a technical foul?’ She said because I was ‘clapping and instigating,’” Clark continued. “I said, ‘OK, then you just don’t like competitive basketball.’ And that’s just facts. That’s just reality. So, (it’s) disappointing for them.”
In total, five players received technical fouls during Monday’s fourth-quarter kerfuffle: Clark, Bonner, Mercury star Alyssa Thomas and Fever reserves Sophie Cunningham and Myisha Hines-Allen. Once play resumed, Hines-Allen fouled Thomas and shoved her after the whistle, resulting in Hines-Allen receiving a second technical and automatic ejection. Clark said she appreciated Hines-Allen having her back.
Clark seemed to dismiss the idea of changing her behavior when she was asked whether she needed to be more cognizant of her technical foul situation. She vowed to continue to “play with passion.” Fever coach Stephanie White defended Clark’s fiery, on-court personality, but she also acknowledged that Clark has to be smart.
“There are natural things that happen that the energy of the game creates when you do get those (technical fouls), but there are some that we can be a little bit more in control (of),” White said. “And so yes, we’ll continue to remind her, and I think she has to have an awareness.”
Clark, a two-time All-Star, ranks second in the league at 8.2 assists per game, trailing only Thomas for the WNBA’s top spot. She has a WNBA-record six straight games with at least 20 points and five assists.
The Fever will host the Mercury again Wednesday night.