Caitlin Clark blasts officials for ‘ridiculous’ tech, inches closer to suspension

INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark was assessed her fifth technical foul of the season in Monday’s 86-77 victory over the Phoenix Mercury after an on-court dispute that resulted in multiple players being penalized. Clark is closing in on eight technical fouls this season, which would trigger an automatic one-game suspension, per WNBA rules.

“We should all just go on the calendar now and pick a game that I’m gonna be suspended for if I’m gonna get technicals for clapping,” Clark said.

The technical foul was the result of a skirmish Clark had with her former Fever teammate, Mercury forward DeWanna Bonner. Clark fouled Bonner at the 7:57 mark of the fourth quarter as Bonner tried to post Clark up at the free-throw line. After officials whistled the play dead, Clark and Bonner appeared to take exception to the physicality of the play and exchanged words before teammates and officials separated them.

Clark continued to clap in the direction of a few Phoenix players, which she said resulted in official Gerda Gatling assessing her a technical foul for “instigating.” Clark called out Gatling by name after the game, vehemently disagreeing with how the referee handled the kerfuffle with Bonner.

Caitlin Clark cannot believe it. Technicals all around 🚨

Alyssa Thomas, Myisha Hines-Allen, DeWanna Bonner, Sophie Cunningham, and Caitlin Clark all issued technical fouls.#WNBAonUSA | Mercury ☄️ | Fever 🔥 pic.twitter.com/K8A4UGNDaL

, USA Sports (@usasports) June 23, 2026

“Gerda said that I got a technical for clapping,” Clark said. “So, if any technical should be taken away, it should be that one if it’s truly for clapping. That’s what they said they gave it to me for. It’s just ridiculous. I don’t understand it at all.”

The Fever plan to appeal the technical foul, a team source told The Athletic. Regardless of that outcome, Clark seemed to dismiss the idea of changing her behavior despite being three technical fouls away from her first WNBA suspension.

“I’m gonna play with emotion. I’m gonna play with passion. If they’re gonna give me a technical foul for clapping, then so be it. That’s their choice,” Clark said. “The league can come back and review that play, and I’d love to hear what they say of the reasoning of why I got the technical foul in that situation, and why other players on their team didn’t get a technical foul in that situation.”

All told, five players received technical fouls in the aftermath of the dustup between Clark and Bonner. While Clark was disputing her technical foul with the officials, Mercury star Alyssa Thomas and Fever reserve Myisha Hines-Allen came face-to-face and were given offsetting technical fouls. As the referees tried to sort through that new development, Bonner and Fever reserve Sophie Cunningham then began pointing in each other’s faces and received offsetting technical fouls.

Play finally resumed after about a 10-minute stoppage, but not for long. Hines-Allen fouled Thomas a few seconds into the action and gave Thomas an extra shove after the whistle. Hines-Allen was then assessed a second technical foul and ejected at the 7:49 mark of the fourth quarter.

“I think if you heard what people called Myisha, then you probably would’ve been thrown out, too, and how she reacted was valid,” Cunningham said. “Like I said, that all happened, we got the dub. We gotta dial in and be better on Wednesday.”

Cunningham did not disclose what Hines-Allen was allegedly called by Phoenix players. Hines-Allen was not requested to speak to the media after the game.

Fever coach Stephanie White said Clark has to be aware of her technical fouls moving forward and that “there are some we could do without.” Still, she defended Clark’s fiery demeanor.

“There are natural things that happen that the energy of the game creates when you do get those (technical fouls), but there are some that we can be a little bit more in control (of),” White said. “And so yes, we’ll continue to remind her, and I think she has to have an awareness.”

The Fever (10-7) snapped a two-game losing streak with the win and will host the Mercury (5-13) again on Wednesday. Indiana overcame a 6-point first quarter, its lowest scoring output in any quarter over the last eight years, to hand Phoenix its fifth loss in its last six games.

Clark paced the Fever with game-highs of 24 points and nine assists. It was her sixth straight outing with at least 20 points and five assists, which is the longest streak in WNBA history. Kelsey Mitchell chipped in with 22 points, while Monique Billings notched her first double-double as a member of the Fever with 14 points and 10 rebounds

Kahleah Copper scored a team-high 20 points for Phoenix. Thomas finished with 19 points, nine assists and five rebounds.

This article originally appeared in The Athletic.

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