NEW YORK (AP) 鈥� The WNBA on Sunday upgraded Chicago Sky guard Chennedy Carter's foul against Indiana Fever rookie Caitlin Clark to a flagrant-1 violation after reviewing the play.
Carter gave a that knocked her to the floor before an inbound pass during the third quarter of Saturday's by the Fever. The officials called it an away-from-the-ball foul and didn't review the play. It was deemed a common foul at the time.
鈥淚 wasn鈥檛 expecting it,鈥� Clark said after the game. 鈥淚t is what it is. It鈥檚 a physical game. Go make the free throw and execute on offense, and I feel like that鈥檚 kind of what we did.鈥�
Carter didn't answer questions about Clark or the play after the game on Saturday, but spoke to media on Monday.
鈥淚鈥檓 a competitor, and I鈥檓 going to compete no matter who you are, and no matter who鈥檚 in front of me. So that鈥檚 just what it was,鈥� Carter said. 鈥淗eat of the moment play. We鈥檙e getting at it. We鈥檙e getting back and forth. It鈥檚 basketball. It鈥檚 all hoops. After we finish the game, it鈥檚 all love.鈥�
Carter then went on to say she took exception to those criticizing her without watching the 鈥渨hole game."
鈥淚鈥檓 seeing a lot of things 鈥� players, fans not understanding who I am as a player,鈥� Carter said. 鈥淵ou have to understand me as a person, too. And don鈥檛 just look at one tape and form an opinion about me. I鈥檓 truly a passionate person about the game, and I鈥檓 genuine. You can ask all my teammates, they鈥檝e gotten to know me. They know the real Chennedy Carter.
"So I鈥檓 just saying, don鈥檛 form an opinion off of one little clip. And you didn鈥檛 even see the whole game and/or the play that led to that.鈥�
Chicago coach Teresa Weatherspoon said Monday that she talked to Carter about it.
鈥淧hysical play, intensity and a competitive spirit are hallmarks of Chicago Sky basketball. Chennedy got caught up in the heat of the moment in an effort to win the game,鈥� Weatherspoon said in a statement. 鈥淪he and I have discussed what happened and that it was not appropriate, nor is it what we do or who we are. Chennedy understands that there are better ways to handle situations on the court, and she will learn from this, as we all will.鈥�
Also Sunday, the league fined Sky forward Angel Reese $1,000 for failing to make herself available to media after Saturday鈥檚 game. And the WNBA fined Chicago $5,000 for failing to ensure that all players comply with league media policies.
The league office may reclassify a flagrant foul or upgrade a foul to a flagrant that isn鈥檛 called during the game. In addition, the league may impose a fine or suspend a player for a flagrant foul. The WNBA didn鈥檛 do either to Carter.
Players accumulate points for flagrant fouls during the regular season and receive suspensions if they reach a certain number.
鈥淭his league is awesome, it鈥檚 a physical league,鈥� Indiana coach Christie Sides said before playing the New York Liberty on Sunday night. 鈥淭hat was a non-basketball play that needed to be called in that moment.鈥�
Sides praised Clark in her postgame interview Saturday for keeping her composure through all the physical play she's faced this season.
鈥淪he showed it last night,鈥� the coach said. 鈥淕ot up and kept playing. All she did was ask the officials to review it. They didn't want to listen to it. I applaud her for how she handled it last night.鈥�
Clark finished with 11 points, eight rebounds and six assists. Reese had eight points and 13 rebounds.
鈥淚 grew up playing basketball with the boys. It鈥檚 always been physical and feisty and you have to find a way to hold your own,鈥� Clark said.
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AP WNBA:
Doug Feinberg, The Associated Press
