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Tuesday's Commissioner’s Cup clash between the Indiana Fever and the Connecticut Sun was filled with drama, with Caitlin Clark at the center of attention. Throughout the game, Clark was being pestered, and even poked, by her opponents. Eventually, she clapped back late in the game with a bold taunt directed at the Sun’s bench.
Team photographer Bri Lewerke captured the moment on camera and shared a series of photos on Instagram.
“You like that?” Lewerke captioned her post.
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“I do,” Clark cheekily replied.
The incident captured by the cameras occurred shortly after Clark drilled a contested three-pointer midway into the final period. As she extended the Fever’s lead to 20 points, Clark stared down the Sun’s bench and shouted:
“You like that?”
The animated reaction was a direct response to the heated exchange that occurred in the third quarter. Sun’s Jacy Sheldon maliciously poked Clark in the eye during a defensive play. Clark confronted Sheldon, prompting other Sun players - Marina Mabrey and Tina Charles – to shove Clark to the floor.
However, Clark got the last laugh. She finished the game with 20 points and six assists, leading the Fever to an 88-71 win and securing their spot in the Commissioner’s Cup final.
Caitlin Clark reacts to the aftermath of her being shoved
Since joining the WNBA, Caitlin Clark has frequently found herself at the center of altercations. Despite often facing disrespect from some of her peers, when asked by a reporter whether she felt the need to defend herself, Clark made it clear that her focus would always remain on playing the game.
"No, I mean, at the end of the day, I'm here to play basketball, and that's my job," Clark said. "That's what I'm going to do… I'm a passionate player, but at the end of the day, I'm here to play basketball. That's what it is. My game's going to talk, and that's all that really matters.”
“I love this game, and I'm going to give it everything I have. I think that's what competitors do. You just step right back up to the challenge.”
Caitlin Clark will now divert her attention to the Fever’s upcoming slate of games, set to face the Golden State Valkyries, the Las Vegas Aces, and the Seattle Storm in their three-game road trip.
