Caitlin Clark gets away with It: Flagrant foul on Angel Reese goes unnoticed by referees
Images from the August 23 game reveal the hard hit on the Chicago forward.
The rivalry between Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese is bound to leave its mark on sports history. Since their days in college basketball, both have exchanged blows on and off the court. In one of the most recent episodes, Reese’s fans raised their voices against what seems to be preferential treatment for Clark.
No one doubts that Clark had a difficult start in the WNBA. It is hard to forget the hit that Chennedy Carter gave her in the first game between the Indiana Fever and the Chicago Sky. Back then, fans and personalities from all walks of life raised their voices to defend the Fever rookie
Things have changed since then. The circuit’s veterans have already let the rookie see she has to earn her place, while Clark has acquired the experience and muscle to bear the punishment.
Clark’s flagrant foul
This past June 16, in the second game of the season between the Fever and the Sky, Reese gave Clark a strong swipe while Caitlin went for a layout. The referees marked a regular foul on Angel, but after a review, they raised it to Flagrant 1.
The referee’s decision generated great controversy in mainstream and social media, with fans and specialists arguing for and against each player. Most supported Clark, especially remembering her complicated start to the season.
In the most recent meeting between the teams, on August 23, the Fever guard delivered the hit, sending the Sky forward to the court in a play virtually identical to that of two weeks ago.
However, unlike at Grainbridge Fieldhouse two weeks ago, Clark was only called for a regular foul, and there has been no outcry in the media for the WNBA to change the officiating call to a more serious one.
There is no doubt that this is just the beginning of a rivalry that will make history. Who will go down in the history books as the hero and who as the villain remains to be seen.
Diamond DeShields fouling Caitlin Clark (Photos via @JoshReynolds24 X)
Caitlin Clark has already had a lot of drama surrounding her this WNBS season. Much of that drama comes from other players who don’t respect Clark because of her rookie status and think people hype her up too much.
Possibly, the latest example of that was this brutal cheap shot that Diamond DeShields of the Chicago Skjy took on Clark as she was dribbling down the court.
The foul has many fans outraged, thinking that it was on purpose just because of who Clark is.
“Hahahahaha they brought DeShields in there to as a goon. Down 25 with 3 minutes and she got 3 fouls on Clark, including that one. We ALL know what that was about,” one comment said.
“DeShields better get suspended for assaulting a player on the court. This is the type of play that made the WNBA unpopular. Nobody wants to watch that,” another said.
“Catlin averages 4 free throw attempts a game but against Chicago went to the line 11 times because they were getting blown out and kept fouling her in frustration but the sky is a dirty team as we’ve seen under Weatherspoon and a terrible team now 11-20 with 5 straight losses,” a third added.
Many fans though DeShields should have also been ejected for the play, but ultimately was not.
Caitlin Clark Has Led Indiana Fever To .500 Record
The Indiana Fever has been one of the worst teams in the league for quite some time now. However, they struck gold when they could take Clark with the first overall pick last year.
Now Clark is repaying them by leading them to a .500 record as of Saturday. The Fever sits with a 16-16 record. The team has not finished with a record of .500 or better since 2017, when they finished 17-17.
