Indiana Fever superstar Caitlin Clark is at the center of a WNBA bullying scandal, according to a furious Skip Bayless.
Clark is the WNBA’s biggest draw, with news of her injury status immediately sending ticket prices plummeting for the Fever’s upcoming games.
On Saturday, she was left furious after the refs neglected to call a foul that could have allowed her to tie the game against the reigning champion New York Liberty, and Bayless has now issued a staunch defense of the basketball icon.
Speaking on his eponymous YouTube show, Bayless said: ‘Natasha Cloud body-fouled Caitlin, rammed her, then hacked her across the wrist, then hit her arm as she attempted to get the shot up… no call. Loose ball, turnover, game over. What?! No call?
‘Caitlin Clark has at least earned that call at home in that moment. Not only was she Rookie of the Year last year but she made First Team All-WNBA last year, in her rookie year.
‘Caitlin Clark deserved the opportunity to shoot those two free throws. Her team deserved the previous two calls. The Indiana Fever, in the loudest, most intimidating arena in the league, got screwed three times in the final 12 seconds. They were robbed at home!’
Caitlin Clark is being bullied by the WNBA to appease other players, according to Skip Bayless
Bayless claimed on his YouTube show that other players are jealous of Clark’s rising popularity
Going one step further, the iconic TV personality offered up an opinion for why the controversial sequence of events happened, claiming that it is a deliberate decision on the WNBA’s part to quell anger from the rest of the league.
‘[Other players need to] quit complaining about Caitlin Clark and just accept and embrace that she is the reason all of you ultimately will make far, far more money. But no, petty jealousy kicks in and takes over.
‘Other teams are constantly complaining to the league office about all the publicity and all the credit that Caitlin Clark gets, even though she doesn’t do much on social media, doesn’t say much when she’s interviewed, nothing but cliches and platitudes and respect.
‘Caitlin is actually pretty boring unless she’s playing basketball, yet this league office is obviously deathly afraid of an open player revolt, a mutiny against Caitlin Clark… so the refs are given the message, they’re clearly afraid to protect Caitlin Clark from the bully tactics and the excessive physicality inflicted on her.
Clark’s ongoing battle with Angel Reese has caused a huge spike to league viewership
Other players have also tried to frustrate Clark on court in the first few games of the season
‘Heck, maybe veteran refs are resentful of the attention that Caitlin Clark gets, that’s the way it looked on Saturday. Talk about biting the hand that feeds you… is it because Caitlin Clark is white and brings in tons of new white fans? Who cares what color they are, as long as they’re buying tickets.
‘Is it because she flashes a little attitude and arrogance, and occasionally gets a little heated? What superstar doesn’t? Is it her new State Farm commercial that set off some of the older stars?
‘Happy Memorial Day WNBA. It should be Christmas in May, but you just can’t quite get your heads around the greatest thing to ever happen to your league, and your future.’
Clark is set to be sidelined for at next the four Indiana Fever games, as she rehabs from a strained left quad.
