WNBA Legend Sue Bird Addresses Caitlin Clark's On-Court Behavior With Indiana Fever
Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark is undoubtedly one of the best players in the WNBA. In her first two seasons in the pros, she averaged 18.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, 8.5 assists and 1.4 steals. She was an MVP candidate in her rookie year and was on track to another big season in 2025 before an injury limited her to just 13 games.
In the 2026 campaign, Clark is putting up 20.1 points, 4.0 rebounds, 8.1 assists and 1.3 steals per game.
Despite her remarkable performance on the court, however, Clark has often been criticized for her on-court behavior. The All-Star guard has developed a reputation for constantly complaining to referees, and while some of her shows of frustration have been warranted, they have negatively affected her.
For one, Clark has often received technical fouls. In her first year, she was hit with six technical fouls. So far in the 2026 season, she has already accumulated two techs in seven appearances for Indiana.
Now, according to WNBA legend Sue Bird, Clark needs to address the way she handles her frustrations on the court in order to be a true championship-caliber player.
"It comes to a point where I think an area of growth for Caitlin is these moments of frustration," Bird said during Monday's NBC broadcast of WNBA games. "When she's frustrated on the court, when she's not getting the calls, when she's getting calls against her, these are areas all players [need to handle]."
The four-time WNBA champion added, "I think championship teams, I think great players, they find ways when it's not going their way. That's when you know you have a championship DNA inside of you - when you're frustrated and you can find ways."
Cheryl Miller walks back her comments on Caitlin
— correlation (@nosyone4) June 2, 2026
"the amount of pressure that is on this young lady…living up to what everyone expects her to be and do can be overwhelming. So Imma give her some grace. And she's right about one thing I've been in situations like that before." pic.twitter.com/GK1Wb64ixy
It's easy to see where Bird is coming from. After all, Clark is one of the leaders of the Fever. More than setting an example, she dictates how they play offensively, and her frustrations can negatively affect her play.
That being said, Bird clearly wants to see Clark channel her frustration differently.
There are still a lot of games left to play this season, so Clark has plenty of opportunities to improve both her game and her conduct on the court.
Related: Indiana Fever Coach Stephanie White Breaks Silence on Caitlin Clark Incident
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This story was originally published June 2, 2026 at 7:06 AM.