Caitlin Clark brushed off the latest controversy to surface this week with her usual grace and clarity. In Sunday’s WNBA playoff opener, the Indiana Fever fell to the Connecticut Sun in a lopsided 93-69 loss. Early in the game, Clark received a black eye after an accidental poke from Connecticut’s DiJonai Carrington.
While most viewers could clearly see that Carrington’s contact was unintentional—she appeared to be swiping for the ball—some quickly tried to spin the incident into another case of alleged targeted aggression against the Rookie of the Year.
When asked about the play during a press conference on Tuesday, Clark didn’t entertain the controversy. Instead, she firmly put the rumors to rest, laughing off any suggestion that Carrington had malicious intent.
“It wasn’t intentional by any means,” Clark said, as reported by Chloe Peterson of The Indianapolis Star. “You just watch the play. It wasn’t intentional.”
Clark’s straightforward response earned her praise from fans and commentators alike, who were quick to appreciate her no-nonsense approach to shutting down the unnecessary drama.
“Once again, 22-year-old Caitlin Clark knows just what to say,” sportscaster Keith Murphy tweeted in admiration of her response.
“She’s so tired of the morons online and in the media,” one fan added, reflecting the sentiment of many others who were eager for the narrative to move on.
“Girl is sick of these questions. Let’s all move on and stop the weird narrative,” another fan urged.
Even videographer Vanshay Murdock chimed in: “There. Let’s move on.”
While the referees missed what could have been called a common foul on Carrington for the incidental contact, Carrington herself was quick to dismiss any idea that she had intended to harm Clark.
“I don’t even know why I would intend to hit anybody in the eye,” Carrington said, as reported by ClutchPoints‘ Matthew Byrne. “That doesn’t even make sense to me. But no, I didn’t. I didn’t know I hit her, actually. I was trying to make a play on the ball.”
Ironically, later in the game, Clark found herself on the other side of a similar incident. While trying to escape a double-team, she swung her arm and inadvertently struck Carrington in the face, causing her contact lens to fall out. Despite the incident being nearly identical to what had happened earlier, many of Clark’s more zealous fans conveniently overlooked it, underscoring the selective outrage that often accompanies these situations.
In the end, it was clear that both players were simply caught up in the heat of the game, with no ill intentions involved.
For fans more interested in the actual basketball being played, attention now turns to Game 2 of the series, where the Fever will try to stave off elimination against the Sun on Wednesday night.
As the focus shifts back to the court, Clark continues to handle the spotlight with maturity, keeping the conversation grounded in what really matters—the game itself.
