The WNBA has experienced a massive surge in popularity in recent years, with Caitlin Clark playing a major role.
However, Clark exited the Indiana Fever’s June 24 loss to the Phoenix Mercury in the third quarter with a back injury, shortly after the Mercury’s Alyssa Thomas punched her throat.
The lack of a foul call during the game sparked outrage for days, even after the league eventually suspended Thomas for one game. Now, analyst Kevin Corke is warning the WNBA that poor officiating and disrespect toward Clark will only alienate the new audience.
Analyst Warns Poor Officiating, Caitlin Clark Treatment Will Deter WNBA’s Growth
Corke didn’t hold back during his recent appearance on “The Big Weekend Show.” He took direct aim at the league’s officiating and its overall protection of Clark.
“If you wanna kill the goose that laid the golden egg, keep this up,” Corke said. “Everybody wants to love this sport. Everybody wants to love this player. Take the ride baby, take the W.”
Rival players being physical with Clark has been a recurring storyline since she entered the league. Opponents routinely test the guard with hard screens, full-court presses, and aggressive close-outs, and the line between competitive physicality and dangerous contact continues to blur.
WNBA VS. CAITLIN CLARK@kevincorke: “If you want to kill the goose that laid the golden egg, keep this up… They are wrecking their own sport” pic.twitter.com/8fhVfJqcgG
— The Big Weekend Show (@BigWeekendShow) July 6, 2026
Corke argued that such physicality, combined with a perceived lack of officiating intervention, will drive away the exact demographic the league needs to grow.
“Instead, they are wrecking their own sport by not only not calling fouls when they should, but making it even worse because they’re making casual fans… You know, if Caitlin Clark’s gonna be on, might I leave the remote on for a couple of minutes, sure. But not as long as I think they’re mistreating their own player, which they are,” Corke said. “It’s ridiculous.”
Corke’s comments came in response to a brutal stretch of basketball for Clark against Phoenix. She took two separate hits before leaving the game with just over five minutes remaining in the third quarter with a back injury.
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Fever head coach Stephanie White voiced her disgust during her postgame press conference, noting the front office spent the offseason looking at officiating consistency across the league.
White flatly stated that Clark was not being officiated the same way as everyone else on the floor.
While the Fever hope she can return Thursday for a rematch in Phoenix, the incident reached a dangerous boiling point online when Thomas faced social media harassment, including racist remarks and death threats, following the league’s decision to suspend her.
Clark addressed the local media on Friday, making it clear that she’s against the vitriol directed at her opponents, while also stating that the officiating needs to be better.
The league sits at an undeniable inflection point. There’s a boom in viewership and ticket sales, but protecting that financial investment requires a delicate balance.
The quality of the product on the court is undeniable, and the WNBA cannot afford to drop the ball this time.
