Caitlin Clark has officially entered dangerous territory to potentially get suspended by the WNBA for cumulative technical fouls this season.
When Clark got in the face of Seattle Storm guard Victoria Vivians and the two were hit with double technical fouls in Indiana on Thursday night, it was Clark’s third technical foul in the first nine games of her WNBA career.
WNBA rules stipulate that players get suspended for a game when they receive their seventh technical foul of the season, and an additional game for every other technical after that.
Caitlin Clark and Victoria Vivians got hit with a double technical foul after they jawed at each other Thursday night.Joe Timmerman/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK
This means that Clark can receive no more than three technical fouls in the remaining 31 games of the regular season to stay under this threshold.
While Clark has started to find her shooting stroke, the frustrations have mounted as the Fever have started the season 1-8 and opposing defenses seem to be actively seeking her out with physical play.
Thursday, after the double technical, Fever head coach Christie Sides got whistled for a technical foul after Clark had gotten mauled near the basket but there was no foul call on the Storm.
“I feel like I’m getting hammered, I don’t know,” Clark told reporters Thursday after one asked about her and Vivians jawing at each other.
Caitlin Clark #22 of the Indiana Fever reacts during the second half against the Seattle Storm in the game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on May 30, 2024 in Indianapolis, Indiana.Getty Images
“I appreciate Christie getting a tech too. I don’t know.”
Clark’s previous technicals have come from arguing with officials.
In an emotional loss to the Connecticut Sun, Clark was hit with a technical for telling a referee, “It’s a f–king foul” after a play in which there was no whistle.
After her second technical foul on the season, Clark drew an admonishment from her head coach.
“We’re spending too much time talking to the officials. We’ve got to leave that alone. We’ve got to just play our game and let them do their job and not put it in their hands,” Sides told reporters earlier this week.
“We shouldn’t get technicals. Let me get the technicals.”
