Comedian Rob Schneider backs Caitlin Clark after "assault" by Diamond DeShields, urges WNBA to take 3 decisions

Indiana Fever rookie Caitlin Clark endured a hard foul from Chicago Sky's Diamond DeShields during a high-profile WNBA regular season game on Friday. The incident occurred in the fourth quarter of a game that the Fever ultimately won decisively, 100-81, at Wintrust Arena in Chicago, Illinois.

DeShields shoved Clark from behind, causing her to take a hard fall to the floor. The foul was later upgraded to a flagrant foul penalty 1. The Sky player's excessive use of physicality sparked widespread outrage on social media, drawing reactions from people across various backgrounds.

On Saturday, renowned actor and comedian Rob Schneider weighed in on the incident, labeling DeShields' foul on Clark as "assault." The veteran entertainer also called on the WNBA to take three significant actions, including firing the official, who only upgraded the foul and did not eject the Sky player.

"The fact this assault was not cause for immediate ejection by the referee means the @WNBA needs to fire this referee, change league rules and fine this player for this flagrant foul," Schneider said in a tweet on X (formerly known as Twitter).

Caitlin Clark has faced her fair share of hard fouls throughout the current season. Out of the 30 flagrant fouls assessed league-wide, five have been committed against the Indiana Fever rookie. This means that 17% of the WNBA’s flagrant fouls this season have been directed at Clark.

The Chicago Sky have been responsible for 80% of those fouls. Of the seven flagrant fouls committed by Chicago this season, four have been against Clark.

Caitlin Clark sizzles despite being roughed up

The physicality displayed by the Chicago Sky didn't deter Caitlin Clark from delivering a spectacular performance. The 22-year-old rookie set a career high in scoring, finishing the game with 31 points. Clark was on fire from beyond the arc, hitting five three-pointers on nine attempts, and also dished out 12 assists.

The crowd at Wintrust Arena was in awe of Clark's remarkable performance in this intense rivalry game on the road. Facing off against her longtime rival, Angel Reese - also a contender for the Rookie of the Year award - Clark stole the spotlight.

While Reese underperformed in this high-stakes matchup, Clark made headlines throughout the basketball community with her electrifying display. Her performance was so impressive that even Chicago fans gave the Fever rookie a standing ovation when she checked out of the game.

ALSO READ: Caitlin Clark Stats Tonight: Indiana Fever rookie outplays Angel Reese with exhilarating performance in win vs Chicago Sky