In their game against the Connecticut Sun, the Indiana Fever set the franchise record for the highest total points scored in a single game at 123, and the most points in a half with 70. Clark contributed 27 points to their dominant win, so when Saniya Rivers told Clark that she was locking her down, Clark couldn’t help but clap back.

Unfortunately, that reply led to the Fever guard picking up her seventh technical foul. Now, former Washington Mystics players and WNBA All-Star Stacey Dales has revealed that the call was yet another example of the WNBA’s inconsistent officiating.

“It was a joke. She [Saniya Rivers] said to Caitlin, ‘Basically, I’m locking you down.’ Caitlin had 27. They had 123 points, and all Caitlin said was ‘scoreboard.’ That’s why she got a technical scoreboard,” Dales said in her latest appearance on The Rich Eisen Show.

“The WNBA needs a better system. The officials are not bad. They’re not bad people, but the league needs to elevate the officiating in the WNBA. For instance, they need to be full-time salaried employees. The NBA has such. Secondly, they need a replay center.”

“The NBA uses a replay center in Secaucus, New Jersey. That has helped the game immensely. Like I said, the officials aren’t bad people. They don’t want to make bad calls, but in order to have more consistency, you have to invest more.”

The problem for Clark is that this latest incident is part of a growing pattern. Throughout the season, the Fever star has picked up technical fouls for clapping, heated exchanges with officials, and verbal battles with opponents.

Her competitive fire has always been one of the biggest parts of what makes her such a unique player. But with Clark now sitting just one technical foul away from an automatic one-game suspension and a $1,500 fine, every emotional moment carries much bigger consequences. And that’s exactly what Dales believes makes this situation concerning.

See, even after picking up her seventh tech of the season, Caitlin Clark has made it clear that she has no plans to change the way she plays.

“I’m never going to back down,” she said after the game. “I think just like continue to try to control your emotions the best you can, and that intensity and that fire is what makes me me.”

Officiating has been one of the biggest talking points around the WNBA over the past two seasons, with players, coaches, and fans repeatedly questioning the consistency of calls. So with Clark finding herself at the center of several controversial moments this year, that debate has only grown louder.

The WNBA setting up a special officiating task force ahead of the 2026 season has resulted in more fouls being called. However, several instances of missed calls, like Alyssa Thomas’ hard contact on Caitlin Clark on June 24 that went uncalled during the game, have continued to draw harsh verdicts on the W’s overall officiating.