Caitlin Clark’s ex-coach calls for WNBA rule changes

Caitlin Clark was at the center of the WNBA conversation again after the fracas between the Fever and Sun that saw the second-year guard get knocked to the court.

One of Clark’s former coaches believes that for the WNBA to make any substantive changes to the physical nature of play, there would need to be significant tweaks to the way games are called by officials.

Former Iowa coach Lisa Bluder, who led Clark for four seasons with the Hawkeyes, believes that would mean calling more fouls.

“I think there needs to be more freedom of movement in our game,” she told TMZ on Thursday. “Which means, yes, calling more fouls, which people don’t like, but people will adjust. The players will adjust.

“If we start calling more fouls and emphasize the rules, the players will adjust, ’cause they want to be on the floor.”

Bluder emphasized to the outlet that she didn’t think Clark was being “targeted,” but teams were playing more physically against her because it’s the best way to defend the Fever star.

On Tuesday, Clark was poked in the eye by the Sun’s Jacy Sheldon before the two got physical after the whistle.

Clark gave Sheldon a shove, causing Connecticut’s Tina Charles and Marina Mabrey to step in, with the latter shoving Clark to the ground.

After things were sorted out, Clark, Charles and Mabrey all received technical fouls, while Sheldon — who was later ejected from the game in a separate scuffle with the Fever’s Sophie Cunningham — was hit with a flagrant 1.

Mabrey, upon league review, saw the foul get upgraded to a flagrant 2, and she was also fined.

In the immediate aftermath of the game, Fever head coach Stephanie White called out the officials for not getting a handle on what became a tense game.

“When the officials don’t get control of the ballgame, when they allow stuff to happen, and it’s been happening all season long … this is what happens,” White said. “You’ve got competitive women, who are the best in the world at what they do, right? And when you allow them to play physical, and you allow these things to happen, they’re going to compete, and they’re going to have their teammates’ backs.”