WNBA star Caitlin Clark involved in multiple on-court incidents and officiating disputes during 2024-2026 seasons

Since joining the WNBA in 2024, Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark has been involved in a series of on-court incidents that have drawn league scrutiny and media attention. In her debut game, she collided with New York Liberty forward Breanna Stewart during a screen, a legal play that sparked online debate. A week later, Clark said she felt “everyone is physical with me” after a game against the Los Angeles Sparks in which she was repeatedly guarded and forced to shoot 15 free throws.

Clark was later chest-bumped by Seattle Storm guard Victoria Vivians, resulting in double technical fouls, and she suffered a hard shoulder check from Chicago Sky guard Chennedy Carter that was later upgraded to a flagrant-1 foul. The following day, she ruptured an eardrum after running into a screen set by Jonquel Jones, an injury she attributed to not hearing teammates’ calls.

Additional incidents included a forearm strike from Angel Reese of the Chicago Sky that was upgraded to a flagrant-1 foul, a technical foul on Clark after she retaliated against Minnesota Lynx forward Alanna Smith, and a flagrant-1 foul on Diamond DeShields after a high-speed collision. In September 2024, a hard elbow from Las Vegas Aces guard Jackie Young and an eye-poke by Connecticut Sun guard DiJonai Carrington, which left Clark with a black eye, were not called as fouls, prompting further criticism of officiating.

The pattern continued into Clark’s second season. In May 2025, she disputed a non-call after New York Liberty guard Natasha Cloud’s shoulder contact, and in June 2025 she was again poked in the eye during a playoff game, leading to a technical foul for the opponent after league review. Coach Stephanie White publicly called the lack of calls “egregious” and “utterly disrespectful.”

The most recent incident occurred in June 2026 when Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas appeared to knee Clark and then strike her throat with a closed fist. No foul was called during the game, but the league later classified the act as a non-basketball violation, issued a flagrant-2 penalty and suspended Thomas for one game. Clark left that game with a back injury.

"We have a generational talent and a WNBA superstar who had two cheap shots right there that weren't called," Fever coach Stephanie White said after the June 2026 game.

The WNBA has retroactively upgraded several of the fouls and imposed penalties, while the league’s handling of the incidents continues to be debated among players, officials and fans.