Lisa Bluder Calls for Stricter Fouls to Defend Star Gamers

Caitlin Clark has taken the WNBA by storm, however not with out taking some critical blows within the course of. The rookie sensation, whose long-range taking pictures and court docket imaginative and prescient have made her a pressure to be reckoned with, is attracting defenders who seem bent on shutting her down via sheer pressure relatively than guile.

Now, her former Iowa Hawkeyes coach Lisa Bluder is urging the league to do one thing earlier than issues escalate.

Lisa Bluder Wants the League to Address Recent Clark Issue

During a latest interview with TMZ Sports, Bluder, who coached Clark via her historic NCAA profession, spoke in regards to the bodily abuse her former ace is dealing with evening after evening.

The 64-year-old legend mentioned that Clark wasn’t focused maliciously, however gamers within the league know that Caitlin’s technique is the true deal. With this, some gamers see that exploiting her bodily is the one solution to shut her down.

Bluder is just not merely crying foul. She’s calling for precise options that may higher shield not solely Clark but additionally different WNBA stars who’re subjected to related tough protection.

The Plea for ‘Freedom of Movement’ within the WNBA

Bluder’s place is that the reply lies in additional strictly imposing the foundations that exist already, significantly off-ball contact and hand-checking.

“I feel there must be extra freedom of motion in our recreation,” she mentioned. “Which means, yes, calling more fouls, which people don’t like, but people will adjust. The players will adjust.”

In Bluder’s view, if refs begin calling extra movement-based fouls, gamers will study to keep away from sitting on the bench. “If we start calling more fouls and emphasize the rules, the players will adjust, ’cause they want to be on the floor.”

Harsher Penalties for Excessive Contact

Lisa Bluder additionally thought that extra extreme punishments for extreme fouls would help with altering the tradition. That includes automated ejections for flagrant fouls and hard-dollar fines that really harm.

Bluder mentioned that fines shouldn’t be mere symbolic gestures. They have to be enough to trigger gamers to hesitate earlier than committing a heinous foul.

Her argument: Safeguarding high-impact gamers corresponding to Clark not solely preserves participant well being, it additionally preserves fan curiosity. More star energy on the court docket interprets to extra eyeballs tuned in, and that is good for the league.

Clark’s Stats Show She’s Still Performing Well

Even with the elevated physicality, Caitlin Clark confirmed that she is among the many elite of the WNBA. She is averaging 21.3 factors, 8.7 assists, and 5.5 rebounds via video games, a line that makes her one of many high younger gamers within the league.

At 23 years previous, she felt like an achieved participant. She’s not but in her prime, however we already see glimpses of her famous person self for the approaching years.