The Chicago Sky Can't Stop Committing Flagrant Fouls Against Caitlin Clark

The Chicago Sky seem to have it out for Caitlin Clark.

During the most recent meeting between Chicago and the Indiana Fever on Friday, Clark was on the receiving end of two hard, flagrant fouls. The first one came in the third quarter when Sky guard Michaela Onyenwere didn't give the rookie phenom space to land after shooting a three. As Clark came down, she landed on Onyenwere and was knocked to the ground.

Officials initially called a common foul but changed it to a flagrant after review.

The second one was much more egregious. During the fourth quarter, Clark was dribbling down the court on a fast break when Sky guard Diamond DeShields plowed into her at full speed.

This play was reminiscent of the cheap shot Clark took from the Sky's Chennedy Carter during the first meeting between the teams on June 1. Clark was waiting for her teammate Aliyah Boston to inbound the basketball when Carter appeared to shout "b*tch" at Clark and then aggressively hip-checked the Fever rookie while Boston held the ball. 

Two weeks later, on June 16, fellow rookie Angel Reese was called for a flagrant foul after she whacked Clark on the head while she took a layup.

That's four flagrant fouls that the Sky have committed against the 2024 No. 1 overall draft pick this season — averaging one per game. 

And while four might not seem like a lot, the Chicago Sky account for 80% of the flagrant fouls Clark has been subjected to this season (with the one exception coming from Los Angeles Sparks player Aari McDonald), and 13.8% of all the flagrant fouls committed in the WNBA this season, according to acrossthetimeline.com.

So, to clarify, nearly 14% of the WNBA's total flagrant fouls this season are ones the Chicago Sky have committed on Caitlin Clark.

Diamond DeShields is charged with a flagrant foul after plowing into Caitlin Clark.

(Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)

The 22-year-old recently told reporters she's trying to bulk up so that she won't easily be pushed around by physical opponents.

"I’m small, but I try to hold my own the best I can," Clark said after the Olympic break. "I don’t know, I think I’m discreetly strong. I’m never gonna be the strongest person. I know that. I try to put on some weight, and I’ve been working hard in the weight room. 

"Obviously, there’s some limits to that and what I can do, obviously being in the season, but over the course of the last three weeks or so we’ve all been going pretty hard in the weight room."

Fortunately for Clark, the Fever and Sky will not meet again in the 2024 regular season. It will be interesting to see if those flagrant fouls suddenly quit happening.