Fever’s Caitlin Clark Sent NSFW Message to Referees Caught on Camera

During Friday night’s 99-88 loss to the Minnesota Lynx, Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark had a NSFW reaction to a potential missed foul. Late in the third quarter, with her team trailing 70-60, Clark headed to the Fever bench, furious about the foul, according to ClutchPoints on X, formerly Twitter.

“Call that fucking foul!” Clark reportedly said as he left the call.

Friday night’s loss dropped the Fever to 18-17 on the season, though Clark did her best to help Indiana secure the win. She scored 25 points on 8-of-21 shooting, and also had eight assists and eight rebounds. It wasn’t quite a triple-double, but it was still a solid effort from the front-runner for Rookie of the Year. The former Iowa Hawkeye played 36 minutes, the second-best performance on the team behind fellow guard Kelsey Mitchell. Although Clark, Mitchell and their team led 50-45 at halftime, Lynx forward Napheesa Collier scored nine of her team’s first 20 points of the second half to take a lead that she never relinquished.

Fever’s Caitlin Clark Prepares for Upcoming Playoffs

In her inaugural WNBA season, Clark has set numerous records while carving her way through the league. The Fever are 10-6 at home and 8-11 on the road. They have five regular-season games remaining, including two against the 2023 WNBA champion Las Vegas Aces. On Sunday, they will face the Atlanta Dream, who are one of two teams vying for the final playoff spot. Indiana, led by Clark and 2022 first-round pick Aaliyah Boston, has already clinched its playoff spot.

The playoff berth is the Fever’s first since 2016, and Clark appears to be the third No. 1 overall pick to win the WNBA championship in her rookie year. Tina Thompson (1997 with the Houston Comets) and Maya Moore (2011 with the Minnesota Lynx) were the first two women to achieve that goal.

Fever seek second title in franchise history

The team has appeared in the WNBA Finals three times in franchise history, in 2009, 2012 and 2015. The 2012 team won the organization’s only title, led by Women’s Basketball Hall of Famer Tamika Catchings. Another first overall pick like Boston and Clark, the former University of Tennessee star played her entire career with the Fever. She also served as president of the WNBA Players Association from 2012-16. If Clark and Boston can have as much success for the franchise as Catchings did, then the Fever’s management and fans will be very happy.

The team has already clinched its first playoff appearance since Catchings retired, and it will be looking to set new franchise records in its latest attempt to make the jump. Will that effort ultimately result in Indiana’s second title? The odds may be stacked against Clark, Boston and their teammates, but don’t write them off.