Early in the second quarter on Sunday, Minnesota Lynx point guard Olivia Miles and Indiana Fever superstar Caitlin Clark collided in mid-air. Replays showed that Miles seemed to have stuck her leg out, causing Clark to fall.
Although the three-time All-Star wasn’t called for a foul, the WNBA world promptly reacted to the rookie’s play.
WNBA Community Erupts After Olivia Miles’ Controversial Kick on Caitlin Clark
The controversial sequence unfolded after Miles beat Kelsey Mitchell off the dribble. As she turned the corner, Miles appeared to hit Mitchell before accelerating toward the basket.
Clark rotated over to challenge the drive. As Miles went for the layup, her right leg extended outward, sending Clark tumbling.
No offensive foul was called, a decision that immediately ignited debate across social media. Many fans argued that Miles should have been whistled for initiating the contact.
“Clearly intentional. These refs are despicable. Sticking out your entire leg is not a basketball move,” an X user tweeted.
Clearly intentional. These refs are despicable. Sticking out your entire leg is not a basketball move https://t.co/gEORoeRAHW
— Danny Carter (@danny_dworkin) August 2, 2026
“Unbelievable. … Did Olivia Miles try to injure her on purpose?
“Watch the slo-mo as she unnaturally kicks her leg out. Caitlin Clark looked to be trying to get out of the way. Disgusting,” Hero of the Day posted.
Unbelievable — Caitlin Clark is hurt, but wait……. Did Olivia Miles try to injure her on purpose?
Watch the slo-mo as she unnaturally kicks her leg out. Caitlin Clark looked to be trying to get out of the way. Disgusting. pic.twitter.com/l16jflMEKa
— HeroOfTheDay (@Hero_OfThe_Day) August 2, 2026
“On this drive to the basket, Olivia Miles whacks Kelsey Mitchell in the face with her left hand, then intentionally throws her right leg out & kicks Caitlin Clark in the midsection; no foul is called. Shortly after, CC got a foul on a clean block, which the announcers said was clean. Stephanie White refused to review it,” a political analyst added.
On this drive to the basket, Olivia Miles whacks Kelsey Mitchell in the face with her left hand, then intentionally throws her right leg out & kicks Caitlin Clark in the midsection; no foul is called. Shortly after, CC got a foul on a clean block, which the announcers said was… https://t.co/mPRHKSdVDH
— Patrick J. McShay (@j_mcshay) August 2, 2026
“The BWLM faction of the WNBA is trying to get CC out of the league any way they can. Now it’s another injury attempt. How much more can we sit by and watch? This is purposeful, and it’s sick. This leg whip was a purposeful attempt to injure. Nothing natural in this motion. This is a leg whip. NOTHING Natural!!” another X user wrote.
Ok. I’ve had it.
The BWLM faction of the WNBA is trying to get CC out of the league any way they can. Now it’s another injury attempt.
How much more can we sit by and watch.
This game was always meant to showcase the BWLM faction of the league and diminish CC.
This is… https://t.co/FY4R02vnPN
— CD (@CrashDavis8) August 2, 2026
“WNBA is so dirty,” a WNBA observer kept it brief.
WNBA is so dirty https://t.co/vh4Di60AKN
— TunafishSndwch (@TunafishSndwch) August 2, 2026
Clark remained on the floor for several moments before getting back to her feet, a scene that further fueled criticism from many WNBA observers online.
The matchup between Miles and Clark had been one of the game’s biggest storylines. Minnesota entered the contest riding a nine-game winning streak, while Indiana had won five straight behind Clark’s recent surge. With two of the league’s brightest young stars sharing the court, anticipation was high well before tipoff.
Miles, widely viewed as the early favorite for Rookie of the Year, showed no hesitation against Indiana’s All-Star backcourt. She was aggressive right off the bat, looking to score whenever she found an opening. By the end of the first quarter, she had already tallied 9 points and 3 assists, helping the Lynx take a 36-33 lead.
