Caitlin Clark's masterclass was overshadowed by the controversial technical foul in an 86-77 win over the Phoenix Mercury on Monday. The Indiana Fever star was baffled by the call and slammed the officials after the game.

Clark was assessed a technical for aggressive clapping during a play involving DeWanna Bonner. At the postgame presser, a reporter asked Clark about the technical. The Fever usually has issues with any call that goes against her. But on Monday, crossed a line even for Clark.

"I got a technical for clapping," she told reporters per Underdog WNBA. "We should all just go on the calendar now and pick a game that I'm going to be suspended for if I'm going to get technicals for clapping."

During the fourth quarter, Clark and Bonner tangled up when the Mercury star was calling for a pass. Upset with Clark, Bonner jerked her hand away, and both players had to be separated.

Clark received a personal foul. Just a few seconds later, she was slapped with a technical for "clapping and instigating."

The Fever star was livid and pleaded her case to the referees. She also told reporters that it would have been fine if players on the other team were also slapped with technicals.

Fever's Sophie Cunningham and Myisha Hines-Allen, and Mercury's Bonner and Alyssa Thomas also received technicals for being involved in the scuffle.

Caitlin Clark inches closer to suspension after technical foul

Clark's technical foul against the Mercury was already her fifth in her 17th game this season. According to the league rulebook, a player is fined $1000 from her 4th to 7th technical of the season.

After her fifth technical, Clark faces a $1,000 fine and a warning letter from the WNBA. Clark also demanded the league's explanation about her fifth tech.

She is now three technicals shy of her eighth technical, which will result in her automatic suspension for a game in addition to a $1500 fine.

Caitlin Clark is known for playing with a lot of emotion, which has often gotten her on the wrong side of referees. In her rookie season, the Fever star had the second-highest (6) technicals, tied with Arike Ogunbowale and Kahleah Cooper.

The Fever have played fewer than half of their 2026 season's 44 games. Clark is already nearing her rookie season's total technicals and is tied with Angel Reese for most techs.

The Fever will next face the Phoenix Mercury again on Wednesday.

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Written by

Nandjee Ranjan

Edited by

Koushik Biswas