"She's really hard player to officiate" - Rebecca Lobo likens Caitlin Clark’s referee drama to Diana Taurasi’s WNBA battles

Fans and some basketball analysts reacted negatively to the officiating in the WNBA involving Caitlin Clark. Most complained about the referees for seemingly letting opponents beat up the Indiana Fever superstar. Clark was poked in the eye and then pushed to the floor in her team’s 88-71 win against the Connecticut Sun on Tuesday.

Hall of Famer Rebecca Lobo had this to say on Thursday when asked to comment about the officiating:

“I think Caitlin Clark is a really hard player to officiate, much like Diana Taurasi was throughout the course of her career for a couple of reasons. Caitlin Clark regularly gets picked up in the full court. She also gets blitzed more over the course of her career than any player in WNBA history or in that period of time.”

Some have likened Clark’s game to the WNBA legend who retired in the offseason. Like Diana Taurasi, the Fever point guard is the engine that makes her team run. They are no strangers to full-court pressure and consistent double teams.

According to Lobo, teams have developed a strategy to counter elite scorers and playmakers. She said some coaches instruct their players to be physical the entire game. The former New York Liberty star added that in a 40-minute game, most can get away with holding, pushing and slapping for 38 minutes.

Marina Mabrey, who shoved Caitlin Clark to the ground during the Sun-Fever game, received an upgraded penalty on Wednesday after the WNBA reviewed the play. She earned a flagrant foul-1 after getting only a technical foul following her role in the scuffle.

It remains to be seen how officiating will improve after the controversial roughhousing Clark suffered against Connecticut.

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Caitlin Clark passed Diana Taurasi on exclusive list of players with 20+ points and 10+ assists in one game

Diana Taurasi set the bar high for point guards in the WNBA. Caitlin Clark is sprinting past her and other floor generals in the record books.

On May 20, Clark’s second game this season, she delivered 27 points, 11 assists and five rebounds against the Atlanta Dream. Clark moved past Diana Taurasi on the list of players with at least 20 points and 10 assists.

The Phoenix Mercury legend had nine such games in 565 outings. Clark moved into a tie with Courtney Vandersloot, who has 10 in 430 games. The Fever superstar played 42 games when she surpassed the 2009 MVP on the list.

Vandersloot is out with a season-ending injury, giving Clark a big opportunity to top the exclusive club.

Edited by Michael Macasero