Caitlin Clark talks scrutiny, hate and WNBA controversy: ‘I'm not a robot’ - USA Today

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The foul was missed in real-time but Thomas received the flagrant 2, a one-game suspension and a fine after the WNBA reviewed the play. In a statement, the WNBA said Thomas "recklessly" made contact with Clark and "committed a non-basketball act" in the Mercury's 111-109 victory over the Fever. "The league's just got to do better, protecting our players in that regard," Clark said after acknowledging the officials have a tough job. "I don't really think that it was up for debate. Obviously it wasn't called in real time. Go back and watch the clip. I think it's pretty straightforward. It's kind of been a discussion for three years now. "We have to invest in (officials), the technology can get better. We can treat the referees a little bit better. Pay them like they're full-time employees." Clark also said the threats and hate directed toward Thomas and her Mercury teammates need to stop. "I've said up here and said before, the harassment, the hate, none of that is OK," Clark said. "That goes for the opposing team we play, that goes for my teammates, that goes for my coaches. There should never be question of character. "None of that is OK, and I don't want anybody to ever experience that." More: Caitlin Clark back injury will keep her out Sunday vs. Las Vegas Aces Clark alluded to the fact she has been hurt by all of the narratives created both in the media and online about her and her Fever teammates. "It can be really frustrating to me at times and it's difficult," Clark said. "A lot of people sometimes think I'm a robot. I'm not a robot. I have emotions, I have feelings. And it can be really difficult to go through a lot of that. I'm 24 years old, trying to navigate a lot ... there are times that it is hard, and there are times that, you know, it probably affects me a little bit more than I do put on. "I think it's important that people do remember that part of it, too." Clark said she was watching WNBA games days after the foul and suspension, and it was still the topic of the pregame show. She suggested that lingering on it was a disservice to the rest of the league. "There's so much amazing talent, and there's so many amazing players that are playing at an incredibly high rate," Clark said. "... And I just felt I honestly feel bad for the players that were playing the games those days, and also, I feel bad for my teammates. They played on Friday, and they dominated, and they played really well, and nobody wanted to talk about that. They were just worried about everything else. There had been 10-plus other games that had already happened to that point. I think it's all of our jobs to help refocus the narratives. "We can do better at that, and I think it'll help our great game grow a lot more." Clark, who will sit out on Sunday against the Las Vegas Aces with an ongoing back injury, said she read a headline that said, "this season has been everything but fun, and just full of frustration for Clark and the Fever." "No one ever asked me that. Nobody ever asked me, that's wrong," Clark said. "Discuss my play. Discuss if I played bad, discuss if I played good ... I tend to understand there's other things that need to be talked about. Great, whatever, but let's continue to move on. "I think just focusing on the joy and amazing parts of this game."