Caitlin Clark thanks referee after technical error and sets WNBA rookie assist record
Caitlin Clark reacted unusually to a technical foul.
The Indiana Fever star and favorite for WNBA Rookie of the Year actually wanted to thank the referee who gave her the technical foul, which may or may not have had a hint of sarcasm.
Clark received her fifth technical foul this year; a seventh would automatically earn her a one-game suspension.
The Iowa native slammed the post after missing a 3-pointer with 7:14 left in the third quarter, and her anger earned her the technical violation she discussed following the Fever’s commanding 92-75 victory over the Seattle Storm in which she broke the WNBA rookie assist record on Sunday afternoon.
“I got a penalty because I was basically mad at myself for missing a three-pointer and then hitting the backboard. He told me that was disrespectful to the game of basketball,” Clark said. “…It reminded me of the penalty I got in college when I said ‘damn’ when it came to personal frustration. It had nothing to do with my team, nothing to do with the ref, nothing to do with the other team. It was just because I’m a competitor.”
Clark added that she had to play harder when play resumed due to the technical glitch.
“But I think he pushed me to keep playing a lot harder,” she added. “I think we got a lot better after that. I want to thank him for that. But overall, I think we all kind of came up for air after the media timeout of about five minutes in the third quarter. It was total chaos for two and a half minutes.”
Clark continued, “I think I could have regained my composure better, but that’s like the fire and passion that drives me. I just have to find a way to channel that and use it, and I think I did that really well at the end of the third quarter and the beginning of the fourth quarter.”
Clark finished the game with 23 points and nine assists, but made just three of 10 three-point shots and had five turnovers, adding to the earlier frustration.
With the nine assists, Clark had 232 assists this season, surpassing Ticha Penicheiro’s 224 assists for the Sacramento Monarchs in 1998 and setting a new WNBA rookie record.
The Fever outscored the Storm 33-17 in the fourth quarter to secure the win, which also featured a career-high 22 points and six 3-pointers from substitute Lexie Hull and an explosive 27 points from Kelsey Mitchell, who is one point off her season-high.
Officials in attendance were Roy Gulbeyan, Tyler Ricks and Jenna Reneau.
