"Protect Caitlin Clark at all costs": Jimmy Fallon sends message to WNBA amid rough on-court treatment

Jimmy Fallon is among those who think the WNBA can and should do more to protect Caitlin Clark on the court. Fallon said as much while speaking on Saturday’s episode of “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.”

He pointed towards the rough on-court treatment that Clark receives and questioned the ‘fighting’ in the league:

“What is going on (in the WNBA)? Protect Caitlin Clark at all costs, please. Enough of this. Please!”

Expand Tweet

Fallon seemed to be referring to Tuesday’s game against the Connecticut Sun. During the game, Caitlin Clark got into a scuffle and was knocked down to the floor. It started after Clark shoved Jacy Sheldon, claiming that she had poked her in the eye.

Marina Mabrey didn’t appreciate Clark’s reaction and bumped into her, knocking down the Fever star. Clark has been one of the biggest draws in women’s basketball since her junior year in college, and since her debut, she has helped the WNBA break viewership and attendance records.

Seeing how beneficial she has been for the league, many expect Clark to be ‘protected.’ The Fever star has seen a lot of physicality in her time in the league, but despite the rough treatment, she has been stellar, averaging 19.9 points, 5.7 rebounds and 8.7 assists per game.

Sophie Cunningham made a $1 million social media leap after protecting Caitlin Clark

Following the altercation between Clark and the Sun, Sophie Cunningham also got into it with Jacy Sheldon. Cunningham pulled her down to the floor late in the fourth quarter. Fans reacted to the situation and started referring to the Fever guard as Clark’s ‘bodyguard’.

Expand Tweet

She also made quite a jump on social media because of her actions. Three days after the game, Cunningham had gained more than 700,000 followers on TikTok and 250,000 followers on Instagram. As per STN Digital’s calculations, an account on Instagram and TikTok would have to spend close to $1 million to make such a jump on social media.

Meanwhile, Caitlin Clark will be looking to bounce back from Thursday’s rough game against the Golden State Valkyries. Clark recorded 11 points, seven rebounds and nine assists on 3-for-14 shooting. Indiana will take on the Las Vegas Aces on Sunday.

About the author

Sameer is an esports and gaming journalist at Sportskeeda who covers a diverse range of topics. He is currently pursuing a BSc degree from BITS, but his love for video games pushed him to pursue a gaming journalism career. He relies on diligent research and fact-checking to deliver top-notch content. He has previously worked in the hospitality sector with the Oberoi Group.

Sameer’s gaming journey began with Rockstar Games’ GTA franchise, specifically
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories. He strongly prefers multiplayer games, with FPS being his favorite genre, and has devoted 6K+ hours to CS:GO! However, he also dabbles in open-world, story-based games from time to time. Solo RPGs like Horizon Forbidden West hold a soft spot in his heart, and he would readily drop in it given a Jumanji-type scenario.

Sameer makes sure to follow Counter-Strike and Valorant esports tournaments, as he believes that watching a game being played at the highest level can be highly educational. He derives inspiration from Tarik's meteoric rise to become one of the biggest FPS streamers in the world following the release of Valorant.

Outside of work, you can find Sameer playing football or cheering for FC Barcelona. He also likes to read and write poetry.

Know More

Edited by John Maxwell