Getty Caitlin Clark's boyfriend Connor McCaffery.
The flagrant foul Chicago Sky guard Chennedy Carter committed on Indiana Fever rookie Caitlin Clark when the two teams met on June 1 has been a white hot topic of conversation.
Carter’s foul on Clark occurred late in the third quarter and happened away from the ball. Initially, it wasn’t ruled a flagrant, but the WNBA later upgraded it to a Flagrant 1. Sky head coach Teresa Weatherspoon also issued a statement on June 3 saying Carter’s actions were “not appropriate.”
While he didn’t exactly comment on the situation, Clark’s boyfriend Connor McCaffery “liked” some very telling posts on X, including one that noted Sky rookie Angel Reese’s response to the foul:
“Angel Reese hopping off the bench to throw a parade for Caitlin Clark’s murder is crazy lollll.”
Caitlin Clark’s Boyfriend Connor McCaffery Also ‘Liked’ Post Begging Fever to Add Enforcer After Chennedy Carter Foul
McCaffery, a former men’s basketball player at the University of Iowa, knows a thing or two about the physicality of the game. Carter’s shoulder-check on Clark went beyond physicality into the realm of cheap shots, and there were calls after the play for the Fever to get an enforcer-type.
Golden State Warriors star Draymond Green was among those making that suggesting, writing in a comment on Instagram: “Indiana better go invest in an enforcer. FAST!”
McCaffery seems to agree, liking multiple posts suggesting the same thing, including one that read: “Idk who the James Johnson of the WNBA is but whoever it is the Fever need to get them asap.”
For those unaware, James Johnson is a veteran NBA big who just finished his second season with the Indiana Pacers. An expert martial artist, Johnson is known for asserting his strength when his teammates are hit unnecessarily. In The Athletic’s “Anonymous NBA player poll 2024,” Johnson was voted the player others in the league would “least like to fight.” He received 53.6% of the vote.
“Is he still in the league? He’s a triple black belt. I’m not (expletive) with James,” one player told The Athletic in the survey. “There’s other guys (where) I might actually lose the fight, but I’m not f–kng with James. He might kick me in my head.”
Do the Fever need their own version of a Johnson-type to come to the aid of Clark? It probably wouldn’t be a bad idea, and McCaffery seems inclined to agree, as he also “liked” this post:
McCaffery Says He Loves Caitlin Clark’s Fierceness
McCaffery, who played in 166 games for the Hawkeyes men’s basketball team over his college career, met Clark at college.
“I was friends with her. Our teams hung out together. We had good relationships with the women’s team and we just eventually started hanging out,” McCaffery told the Times Union in March of 2024.
“Really, at first, it was no different than it had ever been. It was just kind of easy how it all worked out, you know.”
The Iowa men’s basketball alum also noted that Clark’s competitive spirit is one of the things he admires most about her. “She’s fierce, and I love it,” he added.