No matter what league they work in, basketball officials hate to see Caitlin Clark coming.
The Indiana Fever star quickly established a reputation for getting on the wrong side of referees in her rookie season in the WNBA, racking up six technical fouls in 40 games — one short of a suspension.
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Clark (2.8) was one of three Fever players to rank inside the top 20 in the WNBA in personal fouls per game, along with Aliyah Boston (3.3) and Temi Fagbenle (3.0).
The 23-year-old revealed that one of her goals for the 2025 season, which begins May 16, is to receive no more than two technical fouls this year. However, WNBA fans had zero faith in the ultra-competitive guard to follow through on that resolution.
Based on a video from a Fever team outing this week, Clark is already on a mission to get on the right side of the officials in 2025.
Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) smiles at an official during a game between the Indiana Fever and the Connecticut Sun at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.Grace Smith/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK
When she and her teammates went on the floor during an Indiana Pacers playoff game on Tuesday night, she found an NBA official and hit him with a big request.
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“We need some calls,” she told Zach Zarba, who was officiating the Pacers’ playoff game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, where the Fever also play.
Zarba does not work WNBA games, but he still had a priceless reaction to the request from Clark, whose reputation precedes her in the whistle-blowing community.
Zarba cracked a huge smile but did not respond to Clark’s comment. It also drew a hearty laugh from Indiana free agent acquisition Sydney Colson, who recorded the video.
The funny interaction was not the only instance of Clark cracking up her teammates with unfiltered comments at the Pacers game, as she called out a Milwaukee Bucks fan while throwing out T-shirts alongside new teammate Sophie Cunningham.
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With a new coach in Stephanie White, three WNBA draft picks and several new veterans in the locker room like Colson, DeWanna Bonner and Natasha Howard added to the mix, the chemistry of the new-look Fever around Clark appears to be growing by the day during offseason workouts.
Indiana officially opens its training camp on Sunday, followed by preseason games on May 3, May 4 and May 10. The WNBA regular season tips off for the Fever on May 17, when they will face Angel Reese and the Chicago Sky at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
Related: Caitlin Clark Drags Fever Teammate Into Training Camp Controversy
Related: Caitlin Clark Breaks Silence on Big Change in Physical Appearance
