The Indiana Fever had to hear a lot of criticism after a late-game collapse against the New York Liberty on Sunday dropped the team to 5-5 on the season. Star point guard Caitlin Clark, in particular, had to hear a lot of criticism for not living up to the otherworldly standard she set for herself dating back to her days with the Iowa Hawkeyes.
However, the Fever and Clark answered the call on Monday night against the Washington Mystics. Clark scored 10 points in the opening frame of the game and went on to score the game-winning three-pointer with only 1.2 seconds left to seal a 78-76 win for Indiana.
As special as a moment as it was for Clark, there were those on social media who wished she’d approached the moment with a little more humility after she celebrated the massive shot with a celebration in Mystics guard Cotie McMahon’s face.
so is caitlin clark now allowed to taunt other players or does that only apply to angel? pic.twitter.com/V1K8ntLIxp
— jay.☆ (@reese4mvp) June 9, 2026
“Not the face of the league.”
Fans weren’t afraid to voice their opinions on Clark’s celebration on social media.
“She’s the truest punk. Not the face of the league. But an embarrassment to the league,’ one fan posted on X.
“Ugly ways but her fans will justify her behavior,” someone else added.
“She made a WIDE OPEN 3. She’s supposed to make those,” another fan posted. “Taunting someone for making a wide open 3 is meh, but whatever gets you going.”
“She’s going to have many more moments like that.”
Fever head coach Stephanie White had a much different reaction to Clark rising up to the moment.
“Sometimes we take great players, and certainly generational talent, for granted,” White said after the game, per ESPN. “What she did was incredible for us. She’s going to have many more moments like that. I know she is. And we needed this one tonight.”
“I don’t know that the noise is ever going to be quiet,” White added. “This is what Caitlin does. She makes big shots, and she has big moments.”
For Clark’s part, she was just happy she redeemed the free throws she inexplicably missed a few possessions prior with a chance to take the lead.
“You better make this,” Clark said of her thought process at the time. “Because I missed my free throws. All those plays are plays we work on after practice, so everybody knows their role, everybody knows what they’re going to do.”
Indiana is now 2-1 in Commissioner’s Cup play and will face the Chicago Sky on Thursday in its next Cup game.
About Qwame Skinner
Qwame Skinner has loved both writing and sports his entire life. In addition to his sports coverage at Comeback Media, Qwame writes novels, and his debut; The First Casualty, an adult fantasy, is out now.