Back in August 2024, when Caitlin Clark was still a shiny rookie in the WNBA, she was still trying to understand what rules regulated the games. But in the heat of the moment after missing a three-pointer against the Seattle Storm, she went straight to the basket stanchion in front of her and slapped it hard. To her, she was simply taking out her frustration. To a referee nearby, who was disrespecting the game. They quickly assessed a technical foul on Clark and enraged the already passionate point guard. Two years down, it feels like we are still there.

Clark was assessed her fifth technical foul against the Phoenix Mercury on Monday night. When asked, it was because she clapped and instigated her teammates. This was yet another time everyone got to see the Caitlin Clark vs. WNBA Referees narrative come to life. And after The Athletic’s Brian Hamilton shared his views, it only snowballed into a heated exchange between reporter Annie Costabile and WNBA creator Venom.

“OMG!! You caught me! anything clark related from me is tainting her image,” Costabile responded to the YouTuber. “100%. I thought Brian’s column highlights that officials are getting in the way of competitive moments between players on the floor. But yes, continue with this take.”

Previously, The Athletic’s reporter had shared Hamilton’s column on the same Clark vs WNBA referees narrative where he made cases for both sides. He did agree that, of all the players in the verbal fight between the Mercury and the Fever on Monday night, Clark was the last person you would want to give a tech to.

Remember, Myisha Hines-Allen and Alyssa Thomas were jabbing at each other, and Sophie Cunningham, well, was staring and pointing down at Dewanna Bonner, who was reciprocating that, too. Meanwhile, all Clark did was hype up the Gainbridge Fieldhouse and clapped towards Hines-Allen to continue standing up for herself. Yes, that was instigating, but that was far less than the actual smackdown.

She even called it “ridiculous” after the game. That’s where Hamilton’s case began, something Costabile hinted at. However, Hamilton also sided with the referees who stopped a play that was simply a tangling up of two players away from the ball.

It basically criticized the way some star players try to influence the officiating during the game in their favor. While it was not just limited to Caitlin Clark (It mentioned other influential players like Angel Reese as well). Venom did not take time to respond.

He was quite animated in his response and pointed out that this was just a plot by haters and critics to get back at Caitlin Clark.

“Actually It’s Not A Must Read Unless You Think CC Is A Spoiled Diva That Abuses Her Power To Bend The WNBA Rules At Her Will,” Venom tweeted. “Knew If Annie Shared Anything Caitlin Clark Related There’d Be Something In Here Tainting Her Image.”

One can somewhat empathize with what Venom is trying to convey here. Clark has emerged as one of the most individually targeted players in the league. She ranks third in the league for Opponent Personal fouls (OPP PF), at 19.3 per game. But she also ranks third in the league in Opponent’s Personal Fouls Drawn (OPP PFD), at 18.1, as per WNBA advanced stats.

Teams have used this strategy of trying to isolate Clark when facing the Indiana Fever. Clearly, she has been at the receiving end of opposing teams’ isolation attempts. And one can say this strategy has somewhat worked. Indiana ranks number one in fouls per game, at 23.9, as per StatMuse.

So time and again, Clark’s fanbase has felt that she has been at the receiving end of unnecessary, harsh calls. Yet, the point guard remains upbeat.

“I don’t think I would be as good of a player if I was very stoic and straight-faced all the time,” she has remarked to the media.

For now, all she needs to focus on is not getting three more technical calls, which would suspend her for one game under the league’s rules. As for how the narrative grows, we will have to see. Or else, as she said, we will have to randomly pick a game in the calendar she will miss.