The spectacular taunt and response from Caitlin Clark during the most recent Indiana Fever loss.

Caitlin Clark is one of the athletes in the WNBA that gets scrutinized for everything she does. Throughout her 23 games with the Indiana Fever (9–14), the first overall pick in the draft has been the focus of attention. Considering the multiple records she has set in terms of ratings, retail sales, and arena attendance—both as a player and for the league—this attention is well-deserved. High visibility is connected with Clark.

Referees may find it more difficult to make decisions involving Clark because of the great attention that is being paid to her. While some people might not feel pressed, others might. A recent instance was a play against the Washington Mystics in which Clark made an attempt to break free from Julie Vanloo by attempting a “check,” after which he mockingly told Vanloo to “stop flopping.”

Clark’s reaction seemed to mirror how she is often defended by other players. She found Vanloo’s response exaggerated, considering the normal level of physical contact in such a high-intensity game. These types of incidents will likely continue throughout Clark’s career. Much like in prison, where you must establish respect from the outset or risk being seen as weak, Clark must assert herself on the court.

With Iowa, Clark became the all-time D-1 best scorer in the NCAA and went on to win the ESPY for Best Record-Breaking Performance in the following season. Diana Taurasi, the Fever’s host, and the Phoenix Mercury (12–10) are her guests today. After this game, they play two more road games against Minnesota and Dallas before taking a month-long vacation for the Olympics in Paris, which she will not be attending, and the All-Star game, in which Clark was voted most popular.