Being sidelined didn’t keep Caitlin Clark from still giving the referees a piece of her mind.
Clark, 23, served as a quasi-assistant coach in her first missed game since high school Wednesday night, with the Fever superstar giving her two cents to the zebras at halftime of the team’s 83-77 loss to the Mystics, and the broadcast even noted that Clark initiated a video replay, as reported by USA Today.
“We have a deep team for a reason. We added quality depth in the offseason and our ability to collectively step up and give a little bit more has to be there,” Fever coach Stephanie White said. “Certainly, we’re going to look differently. Not just what Caitlin brings from a straight shot-making standpoint, but facilitating standpoint. Pace, our pace was different without her on the floor. There are so many things she does outside of the obvious for us for our team but it is an opportunity for us to grow.”
Clark has been a constant in the lineup for the teams she’s played for during her career, but she’s going to have to adjust to watching games from the sidelines for at least the next two weeks while she deals with a quadriceps injury that the Fever are planning to handle cautiously.
That competitive fire is still there, though, and Clark has shown throughout her career she’s never one to shy away from giving the referees a piece of her mind.
One viral clip from Yahoo Sports showed Clark walking onto the court after the Mystics grabbed a 44-40 lead entering halftime and pointing toward the floor with a piece of paper in her hand.
She attempted to make her point to a pair of referees before joining an Indiana assistant and pleading her case to one referee before walking off the court with her teammates.
The Fever ultimately could not rally without Clark, dropping to 2-3 after their second straight loss.
White pointed to the team not having any points in transition as one of the areas in which Clark’s absence hurt the team on Wednesday.
“Obviously, Caitlin is really good at finding rim runners, getting the ball up the floor. We got to better there,” White said. “Not relying so much on dribble handoffs and on-ball screens.”
When she wasn’t voicing her displeasure to the referees, Clark still made time for the fans like she normally does.
Videos and photos showed her signing plenty of autographs for the fans who surely bought tickets expecting to see her play, and Clark also had a camera to take photos.
“Caitlin was that little girl that watched this league,” White said of Clark taking the time for the fans even while not playing.
“When you are that little girl that eventually gets to live out your dreams, you want to empower the next generation of players. You want to give that hope to the next little girl that’s in the stands or little boy to accomplish their goals and dreams.”
The Fever will try to get back in the win column Friday at home against the winless Sun.
“I think this was a kind of gut punch for us,” Fever guard Sophie Cunningham said of the loss. “We’re going to come back tomorrow at practice more focused, more energy. We know where we want to be at the end the season, but we’re not just going to get there.
“I do think short-term and long-term, it’s going to make us better.”
