"She's really hard player to officiate" - Rebecca Lobo likens Caitlin Clark’s referee drama to Diana Taurasi’s WNBA battles

Caitlin Clark has been involved in numerous altercations during her brief WNBA career. The most recent occurrence was on Tuesday when she was poked in the eye by Connecticut Sun guard Jacy Sheldon and then pushed to the floor by Marina Mabrey in her team’s 88-71 win.

Mabrey received a technical foul for her role in the scuffle, but it was upgraded to a flagrant foul-1 on Wednesday upon review. Teams have often resorted to physicality to guard Clark and throw her off her game, with many fans and analysts deeming it to be over-the-top at times.

Hall of Famer Rebecca Lobo weighed in on the situation on SportsCenter on Thursday.

“I think Caitlin Clark is a really hard player to officiate, much like Diana Taurasi was throughout the course of her career for a couple of reasons," she said. "Caitlin Clark regularly gets picked up in the full court. She also gets blitzed more over the course of her career than any player in WNBA history or in that period of time.”

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Some have likened Clark’s game to Taurasi, who retired in the offseason. Like Diana Taurasi, the Fever point guard is the engine that makes her team run. She consistently faces full-court pressure and double teams.

According to Lobo, teams have developed a strategy to counter elite scorers and playmakers. She said some coaches instruct their players to be physical the entire game. The former New York Liberty star added that in a 40-minute game, most can get away with holding and pushing for 38 minutes.

Caitlin Clark passed Diana Taurasi on exclusive list of players with 20+ points and 10+ assists in one game

Diana Taurasi set the bar high for point guards in the WNBA. Caitlin Clark, however, has sprinted past her and other floor generals in the record books.

On May 20, Clark’s second game this season, she delivered 27 points, 11 assists and five rebounds against the Atlanta Dream. In the process, she moved past Taurasi on the list of players with the most games with at least 20 points and 10 assists.

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The Phoenix Mercury legend had nine such games in 565 outings. Clark moved into a tie with Courtney Vandersloot, who has 10 in 430 games. The Fever superstar achieved the feat in 42 games.

Vandersloot is out with a season-ending injury, giving Clark a big opportunity to top the exclusive club.

About the author

Michael Macasero brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to his coverage of basketball at Sportskeeda with over 18 years of diverse work experience. This includes stints at Convergys, Interpace and RunRepeat.

Michael's background in English and Journalism has provided him with the analytical skills and precision necessary for creating content, and he is a lifelong fan of the Boston Celtics. His favorite players include legends like Larry Bird and Michael Jordan, modern stars like Tim Duncan, and Nikola Jokic, as well as emerging talent like Victor Wembanyama.

Michael respects Gregg Popovich, despite his contentious demeanor in interviews, and recognizes Popovich's genius in adapting his coaching style to maximize the talent on his roster over the years. Michael eagerly anticipates seeing how Popovich will structure the offense around emerging talent like Victor Wembanyama.

Understanding the story and details is crucial to Michael's reporting philosophy and he believes overlooking details, particularly when pressed for time, can lead to misunderstandings and inaccurate conclusions.

Aside from work, Michael's children are his hobbies, and he also likes to go running, swimming and weightlifting.

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Edited by Michael Macasero