Caitlin Clark Got a Tech for Clapping. She’s Not Holding Back About It.

Caitlin Clark is not exactly thrilled with the WNBA’s officiating right now. And she’s not afraid to say it out loud.

After the Indiana Fever’s 86-77 win over the Phoenix Mercury on Monday night, Clark let the frustration spill over when asked about the technical foul she picked up in the fourth quarter.

“It’s ridiculous, I got a technical for clapping,” Clark told reporters, via Chloe Peterson of IndyStar. “We should all just go on the calendar now and pick a game I’m going to be suspended for if I’m going to get technicals for clapping.”

The technical came during a chaotic sequence late in the game. Things got chippy between DeWanna Bonner and Sophie Cunningham, and then Fever forward Myisha Hines-Allen shoved Alyssa Thomas and got ejected after picking up two technicals. Clark wasn’t directly involved in the scuffle, but she was caught on camera clapping after her teammates stepped in. The refs gave her a tech for it.

That puts Clark at five technical fouls this season. Under WNBA rules, eight technicals trigger an automatic one-game suspension. So she’s three techs away from sitting out a game, and she’s clearly not thrilled about the math.

What makes this tricky is that Clark has a history of getting emotional on the court, and officials seem to have a short leash with her. But the league has also been under scrutiny this season for inconsistent whistle-blowing, and a player getting flagged for clapping doesn’t exactly help that image.

On the bright side for the Fever, Clark played a monster game. She finished with 24 points and nine assists, leading all scorers. Kelsey Mitchell added 22 points on 8-of-20 shooting, and Indiana managed to survive an ugly first quarter to pull off the win.

The Fever and Mercury are scheduled for a rematch on June 24 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. That one tips off at 7:30 PM ET, and it’s probably safe to expect some lingering tension. Both teams played physical, and the technical foul frenzy in the fourth quarter left a mark.

Whether the league reviews any of this or decides to have a conversation with the officials about technicals for, you know, clapping, remains to be seen. But Clark made her stance clear. And she didn’t need a microphone to do it.