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The WNBA had one of the more talked-about moments of its 2024 season when Chicago Sky guard Chennedy Carter fouled Indiana Fever rookie Caitlin Clark on June 1.
The foul, which occurred away from the ball with under 16 seconds remaining in the third quarter, was ruled a common and not a flagrant one. While it seemed obvious Carter’s body check was flagrant, it didn’t come out of nowhere, as Clark was chirping at the Sky guard on previous plays.
Carter refused to discuss Clark at all during the Sky’s postgame press conference, and Clark’s comments — more on those later — were pretty tame. But one common question fans, former players and analysts alike, including former NBA forward Matt Barnes, who won an NBA title with the Golden State Warriors in 2017, had about the play was this: “Where the (expletive) are her teammates at?”
Caitlin Clark’s Teammates Blasted for Lack of Response to Chennedy Carter Foul
Much has been made of Clark’s adjusting to adapt to the more physical nature of the WNBA. “I think everybody is physical with me, they get away with things that probably other people don’t get away with,” the former University of Iowa superstar told the Indy Star on May 29.
While Carter didn’t get away with her foul on Clark, many wondered why a flagrant or technical wasn’t called. Many also wondered why no members of Clark’s team were vocal about it the rookie getting flagrantly pushed around on the court.
“Why do none of Caitlin Clark’s teammates ever do anything to stop this from happening??” host of the “Joe Pomp” show, Joe Pompliano wrote on X.
Fox 59’s Mike Chappell wrote: “Clark’s teammates need to have her back. It will continue until they do. And I’m not talking about just helping her up for crying out loud.”
New York Giants offensive lineman Jermaine Eluemunor also had a telling thought: “Can’t lie I think it’s weak how every week we see clips of Caitlin Clark taking cheap shots and her teammates are no where to be seen,” he wrote on X.
Former NFL quarterback Matt Leinart also expressed similar thoughts:
Basketball analyst and current UW Green Bay basketball coach Doug Gottlieb also weighed in.
“Indiana Fever teammates no where to be found when Caitlin Clark gets the ‘Business’ from opponents,” he wrote on X, adding: “Bad culture? Jealousy? She rub them the wrong way?”
“Caitlin Clark’s teammates need to step in and have her back after these incidents,” Nicole Auerbach of The Athletic wrote. “Officials need to make the right call in the moment — that wasn’t a common foul. And the coach needs to have her players’ backs instead of complaining that they get technical fouls.”
Some simply suggested that the Fever need a big-time enforcer: “Indiana Fever gotta go find their Charles Oakley to protect Caitlin Clark,” MSGN’s Jeff Eisenband wrote on X.
Clark, Fever Get Last Laugh Over Sky
Clark finished with 11 points, eight rebounds and six assists in the Fever’s 71-70 win over Chicago.
When asked about Carter’s foul late in the third quarter, the Fever rookie admitted it was a surprise.
“I wasn’t expecting that,” Clark said, via CBS Sports. “But it’s just like: ‘respond, calm down and let your play do the talking.’ It is what it is. It’s a physical game, go make the free throw and then execute on offense. Feel like that’s what we did.”
Indiana’s win over Chicago was the team’s second of the season and first at home. After losing their first five games of the season, the Fever have won two of their last five.
The physicality and competitiveness of the WNBA aren’t going anywhere, and neither is Clark. It’ll be interesting to see if her teammates respond differently when the Fever rookie takes another hard hit.
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