Sports
WNBA - English
Lisa Bluder has seen Caitlin Clark take hard hits before. But the level of physicality she’s is facing in theWNBA? It’s starting to cross a line, and her former coach has had enough.
During the Indiana Fever’s recent win over the Connecticut Sun, Clark got poked in the eye, then leveled by Marina Mabrey – a sequence that ended with technical fouls and a whole lot of side-eye. Clark shrugged it off afterward, saying, “My game’s gonna talk and that’s all that really matters.”
But Bluder isn’t staying quiet.
The recently retired Iowa head coach, who led Clark through four record-breaking seasons, told TMZ Sports she thinks the WNBA needs to step in – and soon. “If we want that to change, we have to change the way the game is called,” Bluder said.
“Freedom of Movement” or Open Season? The Debate Over How Physical Is Too Physical
Bluder is calling for more fouls to be called across the board, not just for Clark’s sake, but to protect all players. “I think there needs to be more freedom of movement in our game,” she said. “If we start calling more fouls and emphasize the rules, the players will adjust.”
The sentiment is picking up traction. On ESPN’s Get Up!, analyst Andraya Carter recently commented, “With Clark, it’s not just rookie hazing – she’s being treated like a target.”
That may be because Clark, now averaging double-digit points and leading all rookies in assists, has become a central figure in the league’s surging popularity. According to ESPN Stats & Info, she’s helped push ratings to multi-year highs.
Bluder’s argument is simple: if the league wants to grow, it has to protect its stars – not leave them on the floor after every drive. “The fans are here. The excitement is here,” she said. “Now it’s on the league to make sure the product stays clean and watchable.”
This news was originally published on this post .
Previous
