Connecticut Sun guard DiJonai Carrington appeared to take a dig at Caitlin Clark amid the raging feud surrounding the WNBA rookie.
Clark has been in the middle of controversy since her arrival in the WNBA, with aggressive fouls dominating her headlines over the past week.
However, Sun star Carrington seemed to suggest the Indiana Fever rookie made the mistakes by overreacting.
During the first half of the Fever’s 72-89 loss to Connecticut Monday night, Carrington, who finished with 22 points, was called for a foul on the No. 1 Draft pick and she didn’t seem too impressed with the call.
Carrington fouled Clark shortly after the former Iowa star received an inbounds pass from teammate Kristy Wallace.
Connecticut Sun guard DiJonai Carrington (right) appeared to dig Caitlin Clark (left).
Clark started toward the basket, but Carrington got to her late thanks to a screen from Aliyah Boston, and she ran into the Fever rookie.
The veteran wasn’t happy with the call and mocked Clark by waving as if he was simulating a flop.
However, her own fans turned on her when the home crowd at Mohegan Sun Arena began booing the Connecticut star for the gesture.
Earlier in the game, Clark had gone onto the field after colliding with Carrington’s teammate, Alyssa Thomas.
As Thomas attempted to block Clark as she stepped into a three, the attacker’s elbow appeared to hit the Fever star in the chest, sending her tumbling toward the court.
However, Thomas was not called for a foul, much to the annoyance of Clark, who gestured to the referee and wondered why he went unpunished.
Clark finished with her fourth fewest points of the season, going three of eight from the field for 10 points – all in the first half. She picked up her fourth foul with 4:41 left in the third quarter and did not play in the final period.
Carrington’s spot comes just over a week after the Fever’s June 2 game against the Chicago Sky sparked massive controversy around the WNBA.
Clark was brutally checked by Chennedy Carter, who was called for a flagrant foul.
Carrington appeared to mock Clark by simulating a flop after being called for a foul
Earlier in the match, Clark was not called a foul after being knocked to the ground
The 25-year-old appeared to shout “you b***h” at the former Iowa star before knocking her to the ground.
Carter has since faced increasing criticism for her behavior, but Clark said Friday it was time to move on.
“No,” she said when asked if Carter should say sorry. ‘Basketball is competitive, I understand that.
‘Sometimes emotions get the upper hand, that has happened to me several times in the course of my career.
‘People are competitive, it is what it is. She’s having a great season, she’s playing great basketball.
“She was great for them off the bench, she hit 25 last night, I think, to help them win the game.
“It’s just not where my focus is. I think about my team, I think about ways I can get better, and at the end of the day, it’s just basketball.
‘There is no grudge, there is no such thing. It’s a sport, it’s competitive, it won’t always be fun. That’s not what basketball is and I think people who play the sport at the highest level understand that.”
Clark was knocked to the ground by Chicago’s Chennedy Carter in a now infamous incident
Carter said after a practice session on June 3 that she had no regrets about the incident.
“I don’t regret anything,” she said. “I’m going to compete and play 100 percent hard no matter who it is or who we’re playing against.”
Many fans, pundits and coaches have since claimed that Clark is being targeted by her WNBA colleagues.
Recently, Bill Maher revealed that he believes Clark is being bullied by WNBA rivals for being heterosexual in a “very lesbian” league.
The late night TV host also claimed that both sex race played a role after Clark was knocked to the ground by Chicago’s Carter.
“It’s (because) women are catty, the league is very lesbian and they’re not, and there’s race. There’s a lot going on,” Maher said after the incident, which sent shockwaves through the sports world.
“There’s also a racist element to it… it’s not always racism when a white person succeeds.”
DailyMail.com columnist Tim Howard argued that Clark is the victim of jealous, racist bullies.
Meanwhile, A’ja Wilson of the Las Vegas Aces is among those who have suggested the Indiana star is receiving preferential treatment because she is white.
‘Women are catty, the league is very lesbian and they are not, and there is race,’ Bill Maher has said
“No matter what we do as Black women, we still get swept under the rug,” she said.
Clark’s teammates have also been criticized for not giving the No. 1 draft pick more protection on the field. Maher echoed these sentiments, suggesting that “only women would do this.”
“If these were men, they would be defending each other on the same team,” Maher said Friday.
“Guys fight from two teams, but when someone checks who’s on your team, you defend that guy. I’m just saying that men have their bad qualities. We are toxic. We are dogs. Only women would do this.”
