The WNBA has been trying to attract new fans and better viewership numbers all season long, but the last two weeks, featuring Caitlin Clark and Alyssa Thomas, brought out a different part of its expansion that no one was willing to discuss.

One scramble for a loose ball became a debate over who should apologize, who needs protection, and who just stood silent for far too long. Former ESPN host Cari Champion didn't hold back on the Flagrant and Funny podcast, hosted with Jemele Hill.

"For me, timing is really important, and my disappointment with her statement and even her coach's statements regarding the hate and the vitriol was timing. I felt like too little, too late.'" Champion said.

Champion continued, “You let it get to fever pitch. Not you because it's not her responsibility, but it got to a fever pitch on the internet. And it got so hysterical on the internet."

Champion's frustration stems from a clear timeline. The incident happened June 24, the suspension came June 25, Thomas revealed the harassment June 30, and Clark did not speak until July 3, nine days after contact was made near her throat.

Clark eventually addressed the situation directly to reporters. "The harassment, the hate. None of that is OK. That goes for the opposing team we play, for my teammates, and for my coaches," she said in her first comments since the injury sidelined her.

That gap matters because Clark was dealing with a back injury from the same play and was not obligated to speak to the media until a week had passed, which lines up almost exactly with when she finally did.

It was not the only issue that Clark brought up. She also directed her energies towards the refereeing call that allowed the foul to go unnoticed in real-time, reigniting an issue that the league had said it would solve months earlier.

Caitlin Clark Calls Out the Officiating That Let It Slide

WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert vowed to improve officiating during last year's All-Star Weekend. As a result, a committee was put together, and Eric Brewton was brought in to advise the referees.

However, with two months of 2026 already passed, not much has changed. Clark was straightforward about her opinion on the no-call.

"I did think it was a flagrant foul," she said, directly disputing the officials who let the play go unpunished in the moment.

Beyond that, she pushed for substantial investment in the people responsible for these calls.

"Overall, the league just has to do better, and we have to invest in those areas," Clark said. "The technology can get better. We can treat the referees a little bit better. Pay them like they're full-time employees."

It reflects the sentiment shared by many. According to The Athletic, the coaches and general managers of eight different teams believe that the inconsistency is still there, and that proper accountability and resources have yet to be established.

Will the league do something about it, or will another event occur first?

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Written by

Utsav Gupta

Edited by

Utsav Gupta