Caitlin Clark mellowed out when she got to the WNBA. At least that’s what many have thought over the last two years. Her college career at Iowa was filled with trash talking and verbal banter but it came down once she got to the big leagues. Clark was still the same passionate player hyping the crowd but no more wave-off incidents or a ‘You can’t see me’ celebration. But two seasons later, we finally have a hint of the same fiery Clark after an incident against Dallas and Candace Parker loves it.
With 4:31 left in the fourth quarter, Caitlin Clark went one-on-one against Aziaha James. Clark bumped her shoulder off James and she went down, asking for an offensive foul on Clark. But immediately when she went down, Clark was heard saying, “Flopping all f*****’ day.” And the referees agreed as they called a blocking foul on James in this case. Candace Parker found it entertaining, but she did have some favorable words for James too.
“We got some pretty viral clips from that game as well. Caitlin Clark to Aziaha James: ‘Flopping all f***** day,’ which I love. This is what I love about Caitlin. She’s going to talk trash,” Parker said on “Post Moves” with Aliyah Boston. “Listen, if you ain’t cheating, you ain’t trying. Basketball is an entertaining sport, so you’ve got to sell it sometimes.” And Boston agreed. “No, you have to,” she said.
Clark and James had a few brushes throughout this game and in this case there is some arm extension from Clark signaling an offensive violation. But James went down on first contact and, according to Clark, too lightly. Moments like this are exactly why the WNBA’s new officiating approach is already becoming a talking point around the league.
The WNBA now gives less room for contact, which has led to an uptick in fouls. The league predicted that it would lead to more flopping and has added penalties for it. A player will receive a warning for their first offense. They will receive a $100 fine for their second violation, and the fine will increase by $100 for each succeeding violation.
Like Parker said, there is a very thin line between ‘selling’ a foul and flopping, which makes it harder for the referees. The WNBA is moving more towards the NBA-like rules regarding freedom of movement. In the NBA, the idea of “selling” contact has become so normalized that even stars openly talk about it.
“If you wanna be a great player, you gotta sell your soul,” Boston Celtics’ Jaylen Brown said. “You gotta be a flopper. If you wanna be an MVP, you wanna be top of the top, you gotta sell your soul and just be a flopper.”
And these accusations have not spared Clark herself. Clark has been accused of flopping in the past, while 4-time MVP Aja Wilson has been top three in free throws attempted ever since she entered the league. So, while it remains morally reprehensible to many, it is turning into a grey area. In this case for Clark, the referees called a blocking foul, judging that James moved into Clark’s driving space illegally. While there are some drawbacks of this new style, it will help one aspect for Caitlin Clark.
Caitlin Clark’s Injury Return Will Be Helped By This New Directive
Yes, Caitlin Clark has said she is completely fit multiple times now. Her trips to the locker room during the Dallas game were just to adjust her back. A regular procedure according to both Clark and White. However, Clark played a full intensity WNBA game for the first time in 10 months. While it did not show on the court, Clark has admitted she is still getting used to the intensity.
“This is the first time I’ve played 30 minutes. Even playing for USA Basketball, I was playing 20 to 22 minutes. We have so many players, we were just rotating in and out,” Clark said ahead of the Los Angeles Sparks game. “I ran 4.6 miles in that game on Saturday versus the Dallas Wings. It’s a lot of stress on somebody’s body, just the pace and the physicality of it too. That’s something I’m continuing to get used to, but I feel really good.”
Now, imagine the old kind of physicality at the same time Clark is trying to readjust. She already had to endure many physical plays during the last two years. They possibly contributed to her soft tissue injuries. Clark’s injuries can be recurring and could have returned if the league hadn’t clamped down on the excess contact. So, while there are some drawbacks like the increase in ‘flopping,’ the league hopes the injury count will go down.
