Security Removes Heckling Fan After Caitlin Clark Complains Following Tense Spat During WNBA Playoff Game

Clark appeared to point out a fan sitting courtside who security later escorted away from his seat

Caitlin Clark and WNBA fans had another tense moment Wednesday night when security officials briefly escorted a fan away from his courtside seat following an exchange with the WNBA rookie.

Security guards at the Mohegan Sun Arena were seen on ESPN’s broadcast approaching a fan sitting courtside and escorting him away from the seat to have a conversation with him with 1:29 left in the game’s first quarter. The moment came after Clark pointed out the fan to the referees and appeared to complain about something that was said.

Clark, 22, briefly spoke about the incident during an on-court interview with ESPN’s Holly Rowe after the first half.

“I’m calling you ‘Spicy Caitlin’ tonight,” Rowe joked. “I see you get into it with a fan, with the ref. How do you maintain your composure but still keep your edge?”

“Stay focused about what’s on the floor,” Clark said. “My four other teammates that are right here with me. I think that’s the most important.”

Indianapolis Star reporter Chloe Petersn later posted on social media during the game that “the fan is back in his seat now after a discussion with arena security.”

Clark and the Fever went on to lose the game 87-81, ending their season as they were eliminated from the playoffs. The game was chippy throughout, as many have throughout Clark’s rookie season, with the Fever guard getting into repeated brush-ups and arguments with Connecticut forward DeWanna Bonner.

After the game, Sun player Alyssa Thomas and the team’s coach Stephanie White slammed Fever fans for making racist and homophobic comments towards players on social media throughout the season.

“It’s been a lot of nonsense,” Thomas told reporters after the game. “I think that in my 11-year career I never experienced the racial comments like from the Indiana Fever fan base.”

Thomas continued: “It’s unacceptable and honestly there’s no place for it. We’ve been professional throughout the whole entire thing, but I’ve never been called the things that I’ve been called on social media, and there’s no place for it.”

Indiana head coach Christie Sides told reporters her players receive “a lot of hurtful, hateful” messages on social media as well and also called the behavior “unacceptable.”

Clark’s fanbase has long been criticized dating back to her time in college at the University of Iowa, as other players began reporting they routinely receive hateful messages on social media from those supporting her.

On numerous occasions throughout her rookie season, the Fever guard has been asked about fan vitriol and has spoken out against fans using fandom for her as an excuse to attack other players in the league.

“I think it’s disappointing,” Clark said in June. “I think everybody in our world deserves the same amount of respect. The women in our league deserve the same amount of respect.”

Clark added: “People should not be using my name to push those agendas. It’s disappointing, it’s not acceptable.