The WNBA has a Caitlin Clark problem. There’s no denying that Clark has been one of, if not the, most popular players in women’s basketball for several years, before she even became the No. 1 pick in the 2024 Draft.
Now that she’s in the third season of her career, a narrative has formed that she’s getting treated differently by referees. Typically, star players get special treatment, but that hasn’t necessarily been the case with this three-time All-Star.
Several voices have stepped up with their respective complaints. Now, Fox Sports’ Dan Patrick is joining in.
Patrick Calls Upon WNBA to Solve Clark Problem
Like the rest of the basketball world, Patrick has been observing the behavior surrounding Clark, too. How she’s been roughhoused by her peers, yet many of these physical altercations aren’t met with the proper discipline.
Now, Patrick is calling on WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert to do something about it.
“We need to have some transparency here,” Patrick said. “Not full disclosure, but let us understand. Because now you get players and former players saying, ‘Caitlin Clark is refereed differently. And you’re allowed to be more physical with her.’ Now we have an issue.”
“We need to have some transparency here. Not full disclosure, but let us understand. Because now you get players and former players saying, ‘Caitlin Clark is refereed differently.'”
– DP on Caitlin Clark and Cathy Engelbert pic.twitter.com/6Y5k36R0xW
— Dan Patrick Show (@dpshow) July 17, 2026
Patrick goes on to compare Clark to Stephen Curry, but he admits he hasn’t ever seen or heard of anyone saying Curry was officiated differently, while comparing their play styles. Both have unlimited range and have slighter builds, but are undeniably talented.
However, Patrick also suggests that Clark often complains about calls. And, like all humans, she’s admittedly not always in the right.
“I don’t think anyone is watching Clark going, ‘She gets all the calls,'” Patrick added. “Now, she complains a lot about calls or non-calls… Her reaction was, ‘Oh my god, look at what she did, she kneed me.’ I did not see that. Now, do I think she’s officiated differently? Yes, I do. Now what are you doing, the WNBA? Cathy Engelbert needs to talk to somebody, so we can at least get a face attached to this, that can give us, what’s the reasoning. What’s the logic here?”
Ultimately, Patrick is simply calling for more transparency from the WNBA in officiating. It’s the same gripe many other sports fans have.
Patrick just wants to see a better effort being made in the WNBA, too, and with so many more eyeballs on the league now than ever, what better time than now?
