Fever coach blasts ‘egregious’ WNBA officiating after Caitlin Clark no-call

After a controversial no-call during a play involving Caitlin Clark on Saturday, Indiana Fever head coach Stephanie White unleashed a scathing criticism of WNBA referees for their officiating in Fever games this season. Following the Fever’s heartbreaking 90-88 loss to the New York Liberty, White did not hold back, labeling the officiating as “egregious.”

The pivotal moment came when New York’s Natasha Cloud made contact with Clark during the game’s final possession, yet the referees chose not to blow the whistle. White expressed her frustration, stating, “I thought she got fouled. I think it’s pretty egregious what’s been happening to us the last few games. The disrespect right now for our team has been pretty unbelievable. So, it’s disappointing that it doesn’t go both ways or it hasn’t gone both ways.”

White also pointed out that there is a system in place for teams to communicate their disagreements with referee decisions, but she questioned its effectiveness. “There’s a system to making sure that we can send stuff in and communicate our grievances, so to speak. I don’t know if I have a feeling that the system works,” she remarked.

Clark, the focal point of the controversial play, opted to refrain from sharing her opinion on the referee’s call during the final moments of the game. “I don’t know. I have to go back and watch,” she said.

During the game, Clark immediately looked towards the officials for a foul call and began to voice her displeasure when it became evident that no whistle was forthcoming. Her teammate, Sophie Cunningham, also approached the referees to protest the lack of a call.

A replay of the critical play showed Cloud making contact with Clark’s shoulder at the instant the ball was dislodged. However, the referees opted not to make a call, resulting in the game ending under controversial circumstances.

The Indiana Fever now stand at a 2-2 record for the season and have found themselves on the receiving end of several contentious decisions by officials in their first four games.

In conclusion, the WNBA continues to be embroiled in controversies surrounding officiating decisions, with the Indiana Fever being the latest team to voice their frustrations. The league will need to address these concerns to ensure fair play and maintain the integrity of the game.