Stephanie White Offers 'Disappointed' Take on How Caitlin Clark Is Officiated

The Indiana Fever coach would like the calls against Caitlin Clark gotten right in real time.

Jun 11, 2026; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indiana Fever head coach Stephanie White and guard Caitlin Clark (22) in the first half against the Chicago Sky at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images | Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

What happened to Caitlin Clark on Wednesday night against the Phoenix Mercury has been the talk of the WNBA world, and really the sports world, since.

Clark was on the receiving end of a fist to the throat from Mercury star Alyssa Thomas, a play that was not called a foul on the floor, but was later upgraded to a flagrant 2, resulting in a one-game suspension for Thomas.

The Indiana Fever star was also undercut on three-point attempts, with one such instance seemingly tweaking her back. Clark will now miss the Fever's next game against the Los Angeles Sparks due to the back injury.

Coach Stephanie White called out the double-standard in the way Clark is officiated after the controversial contest, and she went into further detail at practice on Friday when asked whether she was satisfied with the league's response to the incident. White was content that the play was upgraded, but reiterated the issue with the officiating.

"The biggest thing for me is we have to see it in real-time," White said.

"We've got to be better. I think I'm pretty consistent in messaging that we need consistency, not just in how a game is officiated but how players are officiated, and how Caitlin is officiated," she added.

"I'm disappointed that it wasn't recognized in real-time but I'm thankful that the league went back and did their due diligence," White concluded.

Clark Officiating Needs to Be Fixed

Jun 24, 2026; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) dribbles the ball while Phoenix Mercury guard Lexi Held (10) defends in the second half at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images | Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

Excessive physicality has been a recurring issue in WNBA play, with Clark often being on the receiving end. In addition, the Fever star has been whistled for light contact on one end, with far more aggressive play permitted against her on the other end. The whistle has not been consistent in the way White pleaded for it to be.

Perhaps these concerns finally being voiced by the Fever can lead to an overhaul in the way Clark is officiated going forward.

Because even while battling through the double-standard, Clark is putting up MVP numbers. She sits at fourth in the league in scoring and second in assists. She had a league record streak of 20+ point and 5+ assist games going which ended at six after she had to leave the contest versus the Mercury early.

Even still, Clark had 19 points and 8 assists in 20 minutes of action before departing. Her shooting efficiency has been on the rise as well.

Let's hope the back issue is a minor setback and Clark can be back in the lineup when the Fever play once again on July 5. Let's also hope there is more consistency in the way she is called so no one has to be disappointed further.