Caitlin Clark will not have to serve a one-game suspension after all.
The star guard picked up her eighth technical foul of the season Saturday during a game against the Chicago Sky, which triggers an automatic one-game suspension and fine from the WNBA. However, less than two hours after the game, Kareem Copeland of ESPN and Mitchell Northam of USA Today reported the WNBA had already rescinded the foul.
The play in question saw Clark bump into an official after losing balance on a drive. Clark and Fever head coach Stephanie White did not agree with the decision.
The Fever won the game 90-86. When asked about the foul during her postgame interview on ABC, Clark expressed confidence that the foul would be rescinded:
“She said I ran into her. I’ve already watched it on the tape, so we’ll let the league decide, but it wasn’t intentional or anything. So I’m hoping it’s getting rescinded … I’ll see you on Tuesday.”
The Fever next play the New York Liberty at home on Tuesday.
Clark finished with 26 points on 7-of-15 shooting (5-of-6 on 3-pointers) with 11 assists, 4 rebounds, 2 steals and 6 turnovers. White further railed against the call after the game and confirmed the Fever intend to appeal the tech to the WNBA.
They did not have to wait long for an answer. Clark still remains a single tech from a suspension.
That eighth tech has been looming over Clark since she picked up her seventh on July 22. Only one other player in the WNBA entered Saturday with that many fouls: Atlanta Dream star and Clark rival Angel Reese.
The Fever-Sky game had already seen a different incident, when Sky star DiJonai Carrington was ejected from the game in the first quarter due to a flagrant 2 foul on Sophie Cunningham. Carrington made her thoughts known from the locker room as the game played on, posting “WHITE PRIVILEGE @indianafever” on Threads.
The win improves the Fever’s record to 20-12, fourth-best in the WNBA and tops in the Eastern Conference. It was a much-needed development after their stunning loss at the hands of Chelsea Gray and the Las Vegas Aces on Thursday.