The latest violent attack on Caitlin Clark exposes the WNBA’s real problem

Since her debut in the WNBA in 2024 with the Indiana Fever, women’s basketball superstar Caitlin Clark has been the victim of an unprecedented number of flagrant fouls. In her rookie season alone, she accounted for roughly 17% of all flagrant fouls drawn league-wide that year.

These attacks unfortunately followed her into her second and now third professional season. On Wednesday, June 24, Clark drew one of her most violent fouls to date. In the Fever’s matchup against the Phoenix Mercury, Clark slipped while driving to the basket, leading to a scramble for the loose ball.

Phoenix power forward Alyssa Thomas made contact with a closed fist to Clark's throat and neck area while Clark was on the floor (also appearing to knee her thigh/groin area), then stepped over her. No foul was called in real time, drawing strong criticism from Fever coach Stephanie White. The WNBA later reviewed it and upgraded it to a flagrant foul 2 for "reckless" contact and suspended Thomas for one game.

On a recent episode of “Pat Gray Unleashed,” Pat and co-hosts Keith Malinak and Jeffy discussed how this latest attack on Clark exposes a dark truth about the WNBA.

“The violence against Caitlin is not going to stop unless she dies on the court,” says Keith, emphasizing the need for Clark to seek another league to play in.

Pat is outraged by the violence consistently waged against Clark as well.

“She's brought so many eyes to that league, and nobody cared about that league before — nobody!” he emphasizes.

“How are people not being fined, booted out of the league? Suspended, at least? Something,” he asks.

Producer Kris Kruz believes he has the answer — and it reveals the WNBA’s real problem.

Clark, who is widely considered the GOAT of women’s basketball despite being early in her professional career, is “white” and “straight” — a stark contrast to the WNBA’s predominantly black and/or lesbian player base.

To hear more, watch the episode above.

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