Caitlin Clark took a beating from opponents to start her WNBA career … and her college coach Lisa Bluder has some ideas on how the league can put an end to that.
TMZ Sports caught up with the recently retired Iowa Hawkeyes women’s hoops legend on Thursday … and asked her all about the treatment her former star guard has received so far in the pros.
While Bluder doesn’t believe Caitlin is intentionally “targeted,” she does think the players are giving her their “best shot” night after night – because “they think that’s how they can stop her, is by physical dominance over her.”
“It’s part of the WNBA. It’s part of the rules now, and if we want that to change, I think we have to change the way the game is called,” Bluder said.
So… what should ow do??
“I think there needs to be more freedom of movement in our game,” she said. “Which means, yes, calling more fouls, which people don’t like, but people will adjust. Players will adjust.”
“If we start calling more fouls and emphasizing the rules, players will adjust, because they want to be on the floor.”
Bluder said that if a more egregious act is committed by a player, they need to be ejected from the game and hit with a fine — and she’s not talking a few dollars. She wants it to hurt their wallets.
“I think that’s the only way to change behavior,” Bluder said. “And I think what will happen is more people will enjoy the game.”
While calling more fouls may not be the most popular fix … keeping the best players healthy seems like a goal everyone should be rooting for … especially after Clark was involved in the brawl earlier this week.
Despite her opponents trying their damnedest to stop her, Clark is playing well this season – averaging 21.3 points, 8.7 rebounds and 5.5 rebounds per game.
