Tempers and emotions are still flying high around the recent Caitlin Clark-Alyssa Thomas incident. Criticism is mounting against the league and the referees’ officiating calls during the games, especially when it comes to fouls against Caitlin Clark. Veteran analyst Christine Brennan has now also joined this conversation and expresses her frustration.

“A one-game suspension and no mention of punishment for the officials is a very poor response to a significant WNBA problem,” Brennan, the author of On Her Game: Caitlin Clark and the Revolution in Women’s Sports, wrote in her latest tweet. 

Fans and experts alike are voicing their disappointment in what they say appears to be a very lenient punishment for Alyssa Thomas. She has been given a one-game suspension and a $1000 fine for the act.

The incident occurred in Fever’s game against the Mercury on Wednesday. Clark was seen attempting a drive inside the paint from the left. She fell and lost the ball, and while on the ground, Alyssa Thomas was reportedly seen driving her fist into Clark’s throat.

After the incident, no foul was called, and that angered many. Since then, more and more people are joining the chorus and urging the league commissioner, Cathy Engelbert, to install some safeguards to protect Clark and ensure that refereeing calls are being made correctly for her.

As Clark has a high usage rate in this Fever team (over 30%), it’s natural that she occupies significant time on the ball. This means that opposing teams often try to initiate contact against her. And that’s something head coach Stephanie White is concerned about, especially after the incident with Thomas.

“The fist in the throat is crazy. It’s dangerous,” she said. “And I just say again, absolutely unacceptable.”

As the league is currently trying to lessen physicality, the Clark-Thomas incident only highlights the inconsistency in doing so.

Regardless, Clark eventually left the game due to issues with her back and didn’t come back to play.

Caitlin Clark is the star for the WNBA

Every league has that one player who transforms its popularity into a truly transcendent and global phenomenon. Michael Jordan for the NBA, Lionel Messi for the LaLiga, and Tom Brady for the NFL, David Beckham for the MLS, etc., and Clark is that unicorn for the WNBA. The numbers do back it up.

The earlier versions of the Clark’s Nike Protro Kobe 5 were highly successful. Nike will now roll out the ‘Caitlin 1‘ on October 1. There is little doubt that it will be sold out too. Her No. 22 jersey has been the second-highest-selling basketball shirt globally, trailing only NBA star Stephen Curry, per FIBA.

A June matchup featuring the Fever against the Liberty averaged a massive 2.56 million viewers on CBS, peaking at over 3.02 million. This was the second-most-watched game in WNBA history. So, the ‘CC’ effect is in play and growing by the day. The onus is on the league to sustain this momentum.