Riley: Caitlin Clark has done a lot of good for the growth of women’s basketball. But you wouldn’t think that right now

Caitlin Clark is the face of women's basketball right now. Other WNBA players aren't taking a liking to that.

Note: This isn’t about football. I know. But I want to quickly shed light on a new interest of mine: the WNBA.

Caitlin Clark lay on the court in confusion. Indiana Fever coaches sprung to their feet and darted their eyes to the officials, pleading for them to issue a flagrant foul on Chicago Sky guard Chennedy Carter, who just intentionally knocked the Fever’s franchise player to the court. Sky rookie Angel Reese also sprung to her feet — to applaud her teammate’s actions.

In the prior play, Clark swiped the ball from Carter, leading to an Aliyah Boston layup. Clark let Carter know about it. Carter responded with a midrange jump shot on the following play. She then walked up to Clark, called her a “bitch” and shoulder-checked her to the floor before the ball could be inbounded.

“It is what it is,” Clark said postgame. “I feel like I’m just at the point where I accept it, like, just let them hit you, be what it is, don’t let them get inside your head, and know it’s coming. I think at this point, I know I’m gonna take a couple hard shots a game.”

The WNBA is much more physical than the collegiate level. This is not that. This was a cheap shot — a blatant one at that.

After league review, it was upgraded to a Flagrant 1, the WNBA announced Sunday morning.

That should’ve been the call as soon as it happened, and it was head-scratching it wasn’t.

But “getting hammered” and poor officiating has been the story of Clark's short professional career. It’s the norm of the WNBA currently. And, right now, there’s really nothing she can do about it.

Normally, she would have jumped up and chirped at the officials for missing that call. Especially one as obvious as getting decked before the ball was even in play. She argued all throughout college and she’s done it all this year…She can be known as somewhat of a “hot head.” Yet she let this one go.

Why?

She’s trying not to get suspended.

Clark already sits at three technical fouls in just 11 games. All three have come from arguing with referees. If players receive seven technical fouls in the WNBA, they’re suspended one game without pay. Subsequent suspensions are handed out for each technical that follows.

In an earlier game this season against the Seattle Storm, Clark was hit on the head. This past Thursday, the Fever and Storm rematched, and Clark received an elbow from Seattle guard Victoria Vivians. They began jawing at each other and a double technical was issued — Clark’s third.

Is the mistreatment toward Clark jealousy? Pure hatred for college basketball’s previous preeminent superstar?

It’s fair to question why a person who has done so much right to burgeon the WNBA — and women’s basketball entirely — is being treated so wrong.

Since Clark entered the WNBA, viewership has skyrocketed. It peaked in her previous matchup against Chicago. Headlined by the infamous Clark vs. Reese rivalry that dates back to the NCAA women’s championship game in 2023, Saturday’s game culminated at 2.19 million viewers — a 346% increase from the average viewership in 2023.

Clark has had the spotlight on her for a while now, and it’s only grown larger. Maybe the women who paved the path for her aren’t happy about a newcomer garnering all the attention, but it’s warranted. Clark is college basketball’s all-time leading scorer, surpassing Pete Maravich’s record. She broke nearly every women’s record, and she spearheaded a change in the way people think of women’s basketball.

Tough love is welcomed in sports, and that’s what many think this is, but it’s not; it’s targeted foul play.

Fever GM Lin Dunn took to X caterwauling her No. 1 draft pick is treated unfairly.

“There's a difference between tough defense and unnecessary — targeting actions!” Dunn posted. “It needs to stop! The league needs to 'cleanup' the crap! That's NOT who this league is!!”

Through the first 11 games of the season, Clark and the Fever have struggled. They sit at 2-9, and in their most recent game, Clark scored just 3 points. She’s had her moments — scoring 30 points against the Los Angeles Sparks and winning Rookie of the Month for May — but the start of her professional career has been ugly, at least compared to her time with Iowa.

Something, seemingly, needs to give. It’s one thing to face-guard her and play tough defense, but it’s another to foul maliciously. Here’s to hoping things change.