Lisa Leslie called out Alyssa Thomas for her controversial play on Caitlin Clark on Friday. Leslie called for a stronger sense of camaraderie in the league that goes beyond not trying to hurt others.

During her appearance on CBS's "We Need to Talk " show, Leslie called out how the game officials missed what seemed to be an obvious call. However, for the Los Angeles Sparks legend, the accountability of a problem and its solution also lies within WNBA players.

"Players have to clean it up. We used to play in a way that you protected one another," she said on the podcast. "Maybe if Alyssa Thomas would have even turned like dang, my bad, I didn't mean to hit you like that, it's a different thing, but that's not what happened."

As the WNBA continues to expand, the on-court rivalries and the perceived dislike between players also materialize into higher viewership and more attention. The incident has reignited debate over player conduct as the league grows.

On Friday, a viral video footage revealed Thomas' hand on Clark's neck as her knee connected with Clark's groin—a sequence officials missed. The officials didn't blow a whistle as Clark stayed on the floor in pain.

The WNBA later upgraded the no-call on Thomas to a Flagrant 2 and one-game suspension. The Flagrant 2 also carries a fine of $1,000.

As the replay to the foul went viral on the internet, game officials also came under fire from fans. However, Leslie came to the defense of the referees.

"Thankless job," Lisa Leslie defends referees while highlighting a big mistake by the referees

After the video went viral, Thomas and the WNBA were just two of those receiving flak from fans. Game officials were also targeted by fans for allowing players to hurt Clark.

During the postgame conference, the Fever head coach Stephanie White also blasted the referees for ignoring calls. However, Leslie's defense of the referees was surprising to many.

"Officiating is tough," the basketball legend said during the same segment. "I don't know if anybody's ever even tried to officiate. It's not the easiest game. It's one of the most thankless jobs you can do."

It's hard for the referees to watch every play all the time, and mistakes happen. However, Leslie called out a particular official for deliberately ignoring the calls.

"In this particular situation, I thought that the last official should have been able to catch that I was actually watching this game, and I was like Oh, wow, that was a bit much," Leslie added.

Even after the ball went to the other side, Clark remained on the ground. Officials didn't call any foul.

What are your thoughts? Let us know in the comments.

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Written by

Nandjee Ranjan

Edited by

Shubhi Rathore