Indiana congressman demands WNBA answer for “cheap shot” on Caitlin Clark

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WPTA) – Indiana Fever rookie Caitlin Clark is one of the WNBA’s most popular players and she’s brought more attention to the WNBA than ever before, including from lawmakers.

U.S. Representative Jim Banks is calling on the WNBA commissioner to take action to protect Clark. In his letter, Banks referenced a foul on Clark during Saturday’s game against the Chicago Sky where a play knocked Clark to the floor while neither player had the ball.

It was originally called an away-from-ball foul and it was later upgraded to Flagrant 1.

Both the letter and the foul have gone viral and have raised questions.

Donovan Martin, who provides services in mental performance and clinical psychology to athletes in northeast Indiana, spoke with 21Alive about the letter and foul. Over the years he’s worked with players in the NFL and NBA.

“Do we stay pure to the game or do we maximum profits,” Donovan Martin said. “You take those hard fouls out we are not talking about anything right now. And the WNBA has never been talked about as much as it has in the history of the league.”

He says the hype around Clark creates a struggle the WNBA hasn’t dealt with before.

“Being the villain sells t-shirts just as much as being the hero,” Martin said. “If you have a villain and a hero in the league you have a really good story. So if we take that out of the game it might be safer for players that’s where the rub is.”

Read Banks’ full letter below.

21Alive reached out to the WNBA and Indiana Fever and have not heard back.

Banks has asked for a response from the WNBA by June 14th.

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