Caitlin Clark was assessed with her first technical foul of the season on Wednesday night after a heated exchange with a referee.
During the Indiana Fever’s game against the Los Angeles Sparks, with 20 seconds remaining in the first half, Clark was called for an offensive foul, giving Los Angeles possession.
Clark later walked over to referee Jason Alabanza and appeared to engage in a verbal spat.
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Caitlin Clark of the Indiana Fever argues for a foul during the first half against the Los Angeles Sparks at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on May 13, 2026. (Harry How/Getty Images)
Alabanza gave Clark a technical before Indiana headed to the visiting locker room for halftime.
Still, the Fever went on to win 87-78.
Clark now has nine technicals in her WNBA career, with six in her rookie season and two in an injury-plagued 2025.
Clark appears to have had a combative dynamic with referees since the beginning of her professional career. In the Fever’s season-opening loss to the Dallas Wings, Clark appeared to suggest certain fouls were not called on her throughout the game.
Caitlin Clark of the Indiana Fever reacts toward a referee during the first half against the Nigeria National Team at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana, on May 2, 2026. (Bobby Goddin/Getty Images)
“I think especially if they’re going to call it the way they’re going to call it this year, I think I honestly could have probably got a couple more calls on a few of them, but that’s okay,” Clark said to reporters after the game when asked about plays when she drove to the basket on Saturday.
Whether officials are calling enough fouls against Clark has been a point of controversy since she entered the league in 2024. Many fans complained that Clark was frequently being targeted with hard contact by opposing players and referees weren’t doing enough to protect her.
Meanwhile, Clark came one technical foul shy of taking a one-game suspension during her rookie year.
Clark herself has also made comments seemingly directed at referees in the WNBA. During the WNBA postseason in September, while Clark was injured, she said she was fined $200 for tweeting “Refs couldn’t stop us” after Indiana’s Game 2 win over Atlanta in the first round.
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Caitlin Clark of the Indiana Fever wears a shirt saying “Pay us what you owe us” before the 2025 AT&T WNBA All-Star Game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana, on July 19, 2025. (Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
“Got fined $200 for this lol,” she wrote on X, adding a series of crying laughter emojis. “BENCH MOB WILL BE EVEN MORE ROWDY TOMORROW LETS GOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
Clark was previously seen getting into disagreements with referees during a game against the Connecticut Sun last July.
“Are you f—-ing kidding me?” Clark appeared to say while Fever assistant Briann January dragged her back to the bench.
As officials continued to look at the replay, the ESPN broadcast showed Clark yelling over toward the officials again: “That’s just rude. Grow up. Come here, come here. Unbelievable.”
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