The harsh attacks against Caitlin Clark on the basketball court have gotten the attention of many, including tennis legend Martina Navratilova.
On Saturday, Clark and the Indiana Fever faced off against the Chicago Sky. The Chicago Sky’s Chennedy Carter scored a basket late in the third quarter. As the Fever were preparing to inbound the ball, Carter left the player she was guarding, ran up to Clark, and knocked her to the ground while calling her a “b*tch.”
Navratilova reacted on X, pleading with WNBA players to realize how valuable Clark is to the league. “The players in the WNBA need to realize that [Caitlin] Clark is helping all of them, now and in the long run. [Caitlin] is the tide that will raise all boats!”
When confronted by X users who claimed the rough treatment was due to Clak’s trash-talking on the floor, Navratilova stood firm.
“I never said she was a saint,” Navratilova responded. “I was calling out a dirty play, which was also stupid. If you want to go after someone, do it from the front. That’s all. Better yet – block their shots and win the game – that’s the best revenge.”
After the play, Clark revealed her feelings about Carter’s actions.
“Yeah, that’s just not a basketball play,” Clark said. “But you know, I’ve gotta play through it; that’s what basketball is about at this level. I thought we’ve been really physical; we’ve missed some bunnies around the rim, so hopefully those fall in the fourth.”
Carter was hit with an away-from-the-ball personal foul for the hit on Clark. However, after considerable backlash on social media and from Indiana Fever team executives, the league upgraded the foul to a Flagrant 1.
Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever beat the Chicago Sky, 71-70.