World Cup star Megan Rapinoe issues warning for Caitlin Clark, Fever about officiating complaints

Retired US women’s national team star Megan Rapinoe is a fan of the WNBA but issued a warning to the Indiana Fever and Caitlin Clark this week they are becoming dangerously close to be known as the team always complaining to officials.

During a conversation with Sue Bird on A Touch More podcast, Rapinoe mentioned Fever coach Stephanie White being fined for recent comments about officiating and pointed to Clark, who is out several games with a quad injury.

“You don’t want to become the girl, the team, the coach, the player who cries wolf all the time,” Rapinoe said. “It’s just like, constant. And, like, to what end? And I think especially around this Fever team, and especially around Caitlin, this has like been a thing. It was a thing last year. Sometimes you just have to play through it and earn a little bit more respect.”

Rapinoe admitted that she squawked at officials during his career and drew a couple red cards for doing so. For Clark and the Fever’s sake, the two-time World Cup champion wants to see Indiana tone down the noise during games.

“I feel like constantly having that narrative doesn’t do your team or you really any good,” Rapinoe said. “Obviously, you have to go to bat for your team and whatever, but I’m just kind of like, it’s too much. I think it’s too much, constantly asking for fouls all the time, it’s just annoying and I feel like you get less fouls.”

Earlier this month, Clark was called for a Flagrant 1 against Chicago Sky star Angel Reese. The whistle came immediately after Clark tossed her hands in the air after she thought a teammate was fouled under the rim by Reese, who gathered in an offensive rebound.

“Let’s not make it anything that it’s not,” Clark added during her postgame press conference. “It was just a good play on the basketball. I’m not sure what the refs saw to upgrade it. That’s up to their discretion … I wasn’t trying to do anything malicious. That’s not the type of player I am. I went for the ball and that’s clear as day in the replay. It shouldn’t have been upgraded.”

Following Indiana’s loss to the Mystics without Clark this week, White said the WNBA needed to take necessary steps to halt “intentionally rough play.”

“Obviously, I think we can get better in certain areas as far as how we call the game, consistency with how we call the game,” White said. “Are we going to say that we want a free-flowing offensive game, or are we going to have tough, grind-out physical games? And whatever way it is, the players will adjust and coaches will adjust but we can’t have it be one way one quarter and another way another quarter.”

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