Rusty Weiss
Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark made her return from injury in the 2026 WNBA season opener on Saturday, but the team fell just short in a 107-104 loss to the Dallas Wings at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
Clark delivered a strong performance, though she missed two potential game-tying shots in the closing moments. No worries, she’s got some rust to work through.
Postgame, when asked about her drives to the basket, the guard voiced some serious disappointment with the officiating.
“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,” she said.
Caitlin Clark with back-to-back threes 🎯
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) May 9, 2026
She has 16 points midway through the 3rd quarter.pic.twitter.com/CpQrBblMRc
Clark Voices Frustration Over Missed Calls in Season Opener
Those remarks occur amid a long-running discussion about physical play and fouls involving the league’s biggest star. Their cash cow. Clark has faced hard contact throughout her WNBA career. Fans and teammates frequently argue that referees have not consistently protected her the way they do other star players.
As reported here at Sportsnaut, it was rather noticeable that Clark went to the free-throw line 13 times in a preseason game and had to leave early after getting hit with a Flagrant foul by Wings player Alanna Smith.
This is not the first time Clark or those around her have addressed officiating. In past seasons, she received a $200 fine for a social media post referencing referees, and both head coach Stephanie White and teammate Sophie Cunningham have publicly criticized what they saw as uneven whistle calls on plays involving Clark.
While Clark kept her latest remarks relatively mild, they highlight continuing concerns about player protection as the new season begins.
Wings rookie Azzi Fudd one-upped Clark, complaining about the officiating in the WNBA before she even played her first game.
“Honestly, I’m more confused,” Fudd said after a preseason contest. “I thought you could be physical in the W, and anytime you touch someone, it’s a foul. So I’m not really sure whether to be physical, whether to—I don’t know. I’m still figuring that out.”
Clark finished with 20 points on 7-of-18 shooting (2-of-9 from three), along with 7 assists and 5 rebounds in 31 minutes. On the other side, Fudd, the No. 1 overall pick in the draft, had a quiet WNBA debut, scoring just 3 points on one made three-pointer in 18 minutes off the bench for the victorious team.
