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Caitlin Clark threw up her arms, shouted to WNBA judges, and stopped the air in frustration after a controversial non-call cost her team a chance to beat those defense champions on Saturday.
In the final seconds of Indiana Fever’s 90-88 loss to the reigning champion New York Liberty, Clark took the ball with a chance to tie or win the game.
New York’s Natasha Cloud defended Clark and leans into the superstar enough to knock the ball out of Clark’s hands and beat Clark a little.
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Caitlin Clark (22) from Indiana Fever and Natasha Cloud (9) from New York Liberty during a game 24 May 2025 at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. (Ron Hoskins/NBAE via Getty Images)
A repetition showed that Sky pushed her shoulder into Clarks the moment the ball loosened.
But the judges did not jump the flute and the game ended there.
Clark immediately looked to the officials to get a mistake and quickly started shouting at them as she realized there was no bad call. Her teammate, Sophie Cunningham, also approached the judges to protest the lack of a flute.
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Caitlin Clark from Indiana Fever dribbles the ball during a game against New York Liberty 24 May 2025 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. (AJ MAST/NBAE via Getty Images)
No-Call may have prevented Clark from winning the game on the free castle line because the contact took place on a shot beyond the 3-point arch. But it also cost Clark a chance for a larger WNBA milestone.
Clark, who ended with 18 points, fell only two points shyly for a 20-point, 10-rebound game. It would have been the 11th of her career and most of any player in the league story. Clark is tied with Courtney Vanderersloot with 10.
Cloud and Liberty went away with the team’s first ever 3-0 start to a season in defense of their title.
Cloud has been obvious about setbacks for physical spectacles against Clark.
Caitlin Clark from Indiana Fever during a match against New York Liberty May 24, 2025. At Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. (AJ MAST/NBAE via Getty Images)
During an interview about “Pivot Podcast” with Ryan Clark in March, Cloud insisted that indignation in response to hits on Clark was rooted in “Racism.”
“It’s just part of the game. There was no targeting, there was nothing. This tale was spun into, ‘Oh, the veterinarians hate rookies. Rookies hate the veterinarians. Vets go for certain players.’ It’s all bulls —.
“It gets blown in, ‘Oh, they follow after Caitlin Clark.’ But no, we just play one of the best players in this league, like any other best player or franchisee has been played.
