WNBA superstar Caitlin Clark has had a controversial season so far with foul trouble coming quite often and some technical fouls coming in noteworthy moments. The Indiana Fever star received a technical foul in Thursday’s win against the Chicago Sky, but it turns out she was planning for that during her complaints to the officials.
Clark shared the following message about why she tried to get a technical foul in a close game:
“Mine was definitely deserved, but I wanted it, because after that, I got to the free-throw line more. The third quarter kind of started off when they were the only ones going to the free-throw line, and eventually we got there.”
Many basketball players and coaches believe that getting a technical foul about their complaints will inspire the officiating to start making changes to calls. Clark shared that she was trying to get a technical foul for that reason and that more free throws came afterwards to back the theory up.
Indiana scored a win in overtime against one of the weaker teams in the league. Inconsistent play lately requires more wins coming in these exact late game situations, so Clark’s mental game plan did positively impact the game for her team.
Caitlin Clark Also Defended Her Head Coach
One of the other big stories about the Fever revolve around the future of head coach Stephanie White. Clark’s previous tense moments with White during live games have made fans question if the superstar player and coach are on the same page. Longtime sports pundit Skip Bayless claimed that he’s heard that Clark’s camp wants White fired.
However, Clark went out of her way to praise White for also getting a technical foul in their last game:
“I was glad to see Steph get a technical. If your coach gets a technical, that should fire the team up. You should want to go to war after that. And I feel like we did, and we made a bit of a run there.”
This is a huge statement that shows Clark backing up White and revealing that the team was inspired by her. Indiana must start playing hotter basketball to move up the standings as a title contender against elite squads like the Las Vegas Aces and New York Liberty.
All Pressure On Indiana Fever This Season
Last season’s success made the WNBA world view Indiana as a legitimate contender right now. The Fever made the semi-finals last year with Clark missing most of the playoffs due to an injury.
Health would make this season a “must contend” season during a time when at least six teams believe they can contend for a WNBA Championship. Clark, Aliyah Boston, and Kelsey Mitchell are among the best trios in the league to give them a chance.
Things trending the other way with a potentially disappointing season could see massive changes. Coaching and player changes could be made during the season if they don’t keep pace with the other top WNBA teams competing for the highest seeding spots.
Caitlin Clark Reveals Smart Reason For Wanting Technical Foul