Is there any specific rule for nail length in WNBA? Here's what to know

Game 1 of the WNBA playoff series between the Connecticut Sun and the Indiana Fever recently became controversial. Sun guard DiJonai Carrington poked Fever rookie Caitlin Clark in the eye with 8:36 on the clock in the first quarter. Based on viral replays, many have concluded that Carrington hit Clark deliberately.

The incident has sparked fan outrage while questions have been asked about the league's nail length rule. The rule book does not have anything that addresses that issue. Players can choose however they want to have their nails in games.

DiJonai Carrington wasn’t called for a foul as Caitlin Clark passed the ball in time to Aliyah Boston, who missed a layup. While Clark slumped to the floor, the Sun pushed the ball, allowing Carrington to score a fastbreak.

Sports journalist Jason Whitlock inadvertently put the spotlight on the league's lack of nail length rule when he ripped Carrington’s foul on X:

“DiJonai Carrington stabbed Caitlin Clark in the eye with a fingernail. It could've damaged the career of the WNBA's meal ticket and the biggest American women's sports star of all time. … Carrington should be suspended.”

The lack of a ruling on nail length in the WNBA isn’t surprising. The more physical NBA also doesn’t have one.

Before Marcin Gortat retired, he urged the men’s basketball association to impose a rule after his battles in practice with former teammate Dwight Howard. Gortat claimed that he had scratches on his lips, hands and chest because Howard allegedly never cut his nails.

“The Polish Hammer” asserted that a rule should be formed as it was “bad” for the players’ health, per a Reuters report.

---

Fans urge the WNBA to impose a rule on nail length

Caitlin Clark finished the game against the Connecticut Sun with 11 points on 4-for-17 shooting, including a horrific 2-for-13 clip from deep. She shrugged off the eye poke despite playing with a bruise for the rest of the game.

Fans, though, urged WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert to take action about nail length:

“@WNBA needs to ban fingernails before someone loses an eye. “

One fan had the same thought:

“No basketball player should have nails this long. It inhibits her own ball handling, and it's an injury risk to both her and others.”

Another fan commented:

“Just a finger poke is dangerous but those nails would be like razors”

@DrowningAreYou pointed out a league-wide issue:

“I'm willing to bet there are players in the playoffs with longer nails than that.”

The league hasn’t addressed the Carrington-Clark incident. Basketball fans are also waiting for the league commissioner to comment about the association's negligence in having a nail length rule.