A storm is brewing at the highest levels of women’s basketball that could lead to a historic rule change in the WNBA.
In a rare and emotional public statement, Lisa Bluder , the legendary former Iowa Hawkeyes coach and mentor to WNBA superstar Caitlin Clark, has spoken out against the increasingly aggressive, and possibly dangerous, physical behavior directed toward her former player.
What does he demand?
A rule change. A reform. A reckoning at the league level.
Since arriving in the WNBA, Caitlin Clark has taken the court by storm with her deep three-pointers, elite game vision, and unmatched poise. But her meteoric rise has brought with it something else: a troubling pattern of hard fouls, violent elbows, and deliberate takedowns.
Game after game, Clark has been shoved, tripped, slapped, and tackled. Recently, she was sent flying to the ground by Marina Mabrey of the Connecticut Sun in a brazen act that should have resulted in an immediate ejection, but didn’t.
For Bluder, that was the final straw.
Speaking to ESPN Radio and later in a viral tweet, Bluder didn’t hold back:
I spent years watching Caitlin coach, play, and inspire millions. What I see now isn’t a staunch defense. It’s retaliation. It’s resentment. And it’s putting her career and the integrity of the league at risk.
She continued:
If the WNBA wants to attract a global audience and keep its stars healthy, we must rethink what’s allowed on the court. It’s time to implement a blatant screening system. It’s time to protect the players.
Bluder doesn’t just vent. He proposes real and viable changes to league policies:
Automatic review of flagrant fouls: Any time a player touches the ground due to contact, officials must initiate a video review to detect possible flagrant fouls.
Escalating Suspensions: Repeat offenders who physically attack players face increasing suspension lengths.
Star Protection Clause: Similar to the NBA’s unwritten standard, it suggests that rules should be tailored to ensure the safety of prominent players who drive viewership and attendance.
Caitlin isn’t just a rookie. She’s a generational icon. We protect quarterbacks in football. We protect shooters in the NBA. Why is Caitlin Clark an easy target for abuse every night?
As expected, Bluder’s statement has divided the sports world.
Fans consider it “long overdue” : a voice finally speaking truth to power in a league perceived as reluctant to police itself. Former WNBA players like Sheryl Swoopes and Lindsay Whalen tweeted their agreement, stating that the league “has an obligation to the fans” to protect its stars.
But others call it “soft.”
An anonymous WNBA coach reportedly said:
“If she can’t handle contact, she might not be ready for this league.”
That comment, when leaked online, only made matters worse.
While Caitlin Clark hasn’t made any public statements directly addressing her coach’s plea, her performance speaks volumes.
Just days after the Mabrey shoving incident, he had 28 points, 10 assists and 6 rebounds , leading the Fever to an emotional victory and sending a silent message to the league:
“You can take me down, but I’m not backing down.”
So far, the league has not issued any formal response to Bluder’s comments. But inside sources suggest that “conversations to change the rules are taking place behind closed doors.” With national ratings rising every time Clark plays, WNBA executives are under increasing pressure to take action, both to protect the sport and to project its future.
A league executive, speaking on condition of anonymity, said:
We’ve never seen this level of attention paid to a player so quickly. If we lose her to injury due to poor officiating, the league could set itself back years.
What began as a coach defending her former star has grown into something much bigger: a national conversation about violence, respect, and evolution in women’s sports.
Lisa Bluder’s words echo in stadiums, studios, and boardrooms. And now the question hangs in the air like a horn about to blow:
Will the WNBA protect its most valuable player or allow another generational talent to be silenced?
