Even with 124 technical and 44 flagrant fouls already in the 2026 WNBA season, Hall of Famer Diana Taurasi refutes the claim that physicality has become a problem in the WNBA. The three-time WNBA champion argues that the current basketball community has no idea how physical the league used to be in Taurasi’s prime. As per an X post by CNBC’s Jess Golden, Taurasi spoke about this physicality.
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“If you think the game is physical now, go back and watch the girls’ finals 15, 16 years ago.”
Looking back at the 2007 WNBA finals, it’s not hard to see the point Taurasi is trying to make. The series between Phoenix Mercury and the Detroit Shock was one of the most bruising, physical, and foul-heavy series in league history. It was Taurasi’s first playoff appearance, and she made it count.
The Shock, coached by Laimbeer, played to deny easy buckets—resulting in hard fouls and physical play in the paint. Diana Taurasi was referencing this sort of physicality in the X post by Jess Golden.
Led by Diana Taurasi and Penny Taylor, the Mercury matched that intensity. The series’ physical nature showed in Game 1, as Taurasi was in foul trouble early, held scoreless in the first half, and eventually fouled out in just 22 minutes of play.
Taurasi was in foul trouble early, held scoreless in the first half
Star players on both sides spent major stretches on the bench. The five-game series accumulated 210 total personal fouls from both teams.
In recent weeks, the debate around the league’s physicality has remained in the spotlight due to incidents surrounding Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark. The controversy began when Phoenix Mercury’s Alyssa Thomas‘s hand landed on Clark’s throat without drawing a flagrant foul.
In a recent Fever-Valkyries game on July 15, Clark protested a missed foul call, shouting at the referee before stepping off the court. Her reaction came after she drew contact from Valkyries’ Kiah Stokes, and Fever teammate Aliyah Boston was given a foul after a bump with Valkyries’ Veronica Burton.
Regardless of Clark’s reaction, it is clear that she is indeed at the receiving end of physical plays and gets fouled by the opposing teams more than any other player.
Matters have escalated to the point where fans, analysts, and members of US Congress have asked the WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert to address this issue and install safeguards to protect Clark. This move comes as the league has recently witnessed a massive increase in the fouls committed on court.
The Season Has Witnessed Increased Foul Calls Across All Teams
Before the 2026 season started, the league changed the metrics around how fouls were called. The league targeted rough play to maximize player safety. The guidelines also ensured that freedom of movement was prioritized.
Referees received strict instructions to penalize players for holding, redirecting, or impeding offensive players on off-ball screens and perimeter hand-checking. There is a new escalating fine structure that starts at $500 for the first three techs, hitting $1,500 and an automatic one-game suspension by the eighth technical.
Almost all teams have witnessed increased foul rates this season. However, it has affected the Fever more than the others. They lead the league in personal fouls per game, at 23.1, as per ESPN. Clark also draws 6.1 personal fouls per game as of the 2026 season, according to FOX Sports.
Clark has also already received five technical fouls this season. Unless her style of play changes, she will soon hit eight and have to sit a game out, along with paying the hefty fine.
On one hand, you have legends like Taurasi saying the league is not physical enough. And on the other side, you have the fans and experts wanting more precautions, especially for the league’s marquee players. Only time will tell who is right.