Adam Silver was asked about the Caitlin Clark foul in his pre-NBA Finals press conference on Thursday before the Boston Celtics hosted the Dallas Mavericks in Game 1.
Clark was hip-checked by Chicago Sky guard Chennedy Carter on Saturday, which set off a firestorm throughout the week about the treatment of the Indiana Fever rookie.
Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) is guarded by Chicago Sky guard Chennedy Carter at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis on June 1, 2024. (Brian Spurlock/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Silver said he didn't want to get into the specifics of the officiating, deferring to WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert.
“Obviously as a fan, it's nothing new in basketball to have that 'welcome to the league' moment, especially for high-profile rookies,” Silver said. Forbes Sports“But of course, I want Caitlin to be treated fairly and appropriately by the league.”
“She seems to be able to handle herself. She's a tough player. Because of the controversy in the WNBA, people who aren't familiar with basketball may not realize how much of a talent she is. Two-time Final Four, college basketball's all-time leading scorer. I'm looking forward to watching her develop in the league.”
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver speaks during a press conference before Game 1 of the NBA Finals between the Dallas Mavericks and the Boston Celtics at TD Garden in Boston on June 6, 2024. (Adam Glanzman/Getty Images)
“Ultimately, I think this is a very healthy thing for women's basketball and the WNBA. There's been a tremendous amount of interest. And to be fair to the other players and to Commissioner Engelbert, this isn't something that just started this year. Certainly, Kaitlyn's performance has accelerated it, but a lot of the stars that have come into the league over the last few years…”
Silver added that rivalries between clubs and players are “ultimately good for the sport”.
“At the same time, there are certainly some larger societal issues out there, and I don't want to run away from that. There are some racial issues, they're very obvious. But I think sports has historically been a space for people to talk about these issues directly. I don't think we should run away from them. I think our players are happy to address these issues.”
Caitlin Clark (Catalina Fragoso/NBAE via Getty Images)
Carter's foul He was elevated to Flagrant 1. Clark played OK but struggled in Sunday's game against the New York Liberty.
