Caitlin Clark was visibly furious in the final moments of Saturday’s narrow 90-88 loss to the defending WNBA champions, the New York Liberty, after what many believe was a crucial missed call by referees.
With time running out and the Indiana Fever down by two, Clark had the ball in her hands and a chance to either tie the game or clinch a dramatic win. Guarded tightly by New York’s Natasha Cloud, Clark attempted to make her move when Cloud initiated hard shoulder contact that dislodged the ball and sent Clark stumbling. A replay clearly showed Cloud’s shoulder driving into Clark’s as the ball came loose. No whistle followed.
The moment the clock expired, Clark turned toward the officials, arms raised, yelling in disbelief. She punched the air in frustration as teammates joined in to protest the non-call, including forward Sophie Cunningham, who immediately approached the referees to challenge the decision.
Had a foul been called, Clark—who was beyond the three-point arc—would have had the opportunity to tie the game from the free-throw line. But beyond the loss, the incident may have also cost her a historic personal achievement. Clark ended the night with 18 points and 10 rebounds, narrowly missing what would have been her 11th career 20-point, 10-rebound game. She remains tied with WNBA veteran Courtney Vandersloot for the all-time lead at 10.
The Liberty celebrated their first-ever 3-0 season start—an encouraging milestone for the reigning champions—but the play that sealed the win stirred up more than just controversy on the court.
Natasha Cloud, who has garnered attention for her defensive intensity against Clark in past matchups, has also been outspoken about the criticism surrounding her physical play. In a March appearance on “The Pivot Podcast” with former NFL star Ryan Clark, Cloud pushed back on accusations that players were unfairly targeting Clark, calling the backlash racially motivated.
“It’s just a part of the game. There was no targeting. That narrative—‘vets hate rookies,’ ‘vets are going after certain players’—it’s all bulls—. If I’m just going to be frank, it’s all bulls—. What it is is racism,” Cloud said during the interview.
“It gets blown up into, ‘Oh, they’re going after Caitlin Clark.’ No. We’re just playing one of the best players in the league the same way any other franchise player has always been played.”
As Clark continues to draw massive attention in her rookie season, every play—and every no-call—will be under the microscope. And while the Liberty escaped with the win, the debate over how physical defenders can get with the league’s newest star is only heating up.
