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Caitlin Clark has been one of the most popular women’s basketball players the sport has ever seen, and she has been credited for lifting viewership in the WNBA last year. With Clark’s popularity, the Indiana Fever star has seen numerous painful fouls in her rookie season from players who tried to stop her.
From hard fouls to full-blown flagrant ones, Clark was a target of hard-nosed defense and physicality unlike most others around the WNBA.
Here are three times Clark was subjected to painful fouls during her rookie season.
3 times Caitlin Clark was subjected to brutally painful fouls during her rookie season
Angel Reese hit Caitlin Clark in the head
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On their June 16 matchup, Chicago Sky’s Angel Reese hit Clark in the head while contesting the latter’s driving layup. Reese was called for a technical foul after the play. Clark went down and was smacked in the back of her head by the Sky forward’s forearm.
The two players downplayed the violent foul, saying that it was a basketball play and they refused to make a big deal out of the situation. Both players’ accounts seemed to have merit as Reese was seen to be only intending to hit the ball in the play.
The foul blew up as Clark and Reese were still fresh from their heated rivalry in college, carrying it over into the league.
The Fever went on to win the game 93-81, as Clark got the upper hand over Reese and the Sky.
Aari McDonald lands on Caitlin Clark’s feet on a 3-point attempt
In a game between the LA Sparks and the Indiana Fever on May 28, 2024, Aari McDonald challenged a long 3-point jump shot from Caitlin Clark. Only for her feet to land in her landing area, causing the Fever star to fall on the floor.
While the sequence did not result in a serious injury, McDonald’s challenge could have harmed the shooter, with the referees deeming it a flagrant foul.
McDonald seemed to have no intent of injuring Clark in the play as she looked merely surprised at Clark’s long attempt and was only trying to make a solid contest of the shot.
The Sparks won the game, 88-82.
Diamond DeShields runs over Caitlin Clark
In a game on August 30, Chicago Sky’s Diamond DeShields ran over Caitlin Clark while trying to stop her in a fastbreak attempt. The instance was deemed a flagrant foul for DeShields, but she was quick to apologize after Clark rolled over to the floor.
The Fever was already leading by 27 points in the game when DeShields committed the foul. But her apologetic gesture after the foul indicated the unharmful intent of the Dream forward.
The Fever got the win in the game, 100-81, but DeShields received backlash from the incident following the Sky’s loss.
