Ex-NBA Doctor Warns WNBA of ‘Dangerous' Treatment of Caitlin Clark

Few would argue that Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark takes more of a beating than the average WNBA player.

According to Fox News, there's been at least 13 incidents since Clark's rookie year of her being involved in some sort of controversial contact including "multiple pokes to the eye and what she revealed to be a ruptured eardrum."

How physical opposing players get with Clark has been at the forefront of the WNBA recently after she was hit in the throat by Phoenix Mercury guard Alyssa Thomas.

Incidents like that are of great concern to former Philadelphia 76ers orthopedic consultant Dr. Nicholas DiNubile, who recently warned the WNBA if it continues to let other players tee off on Clark, there could be dire consequences for her long-term health.

"She gets a lot to her face," DiNubile told Fox News. "She gets poked in the eye. She gets hit in the face, and they also, with her 3-point shooting…there’s a lot of where they get in her space and her landing space. You see that way too often and that’s very, very dangerous.

"Just getting hit on the head and hit across the head, you know, head injuries, concussions, any variety of things like that. Then you fall to the floor and anything can happen when you fall to the floor. So, um, just not good and not necessary. I don’t think it’s necessary."

DiNubile believes the WNBA can take action to cut down on how much physical punishment Clark takes, and it starts with how the game is officiated (opponents have been called for 10 flagrant fouls against Clark over her first 71 WNBA games).

"I think they should be calling things," DiNubile said. "They can officiate better… I mean, how do they miss this?"

Clark has missed 33 games over the first two-plus seasons of her career, including a 31-game absence last year due to two separate groin injuries, a quadriceps injury, and an ankle bone bruise.

Not every injury Clark's suffered in the WNBA has been because of controversial contact, but the fact that some opponents may be taking liberties with her certainly doesn't help matters.

"The type of contact and the amount of contact that she gets is concerning to me," DiNubile added. "It's troubling to me. … I wouldn't want to be the team doctor having to deal with [Clark's injuries]. That's what keeps us up at night, those kind of things that you have to respond to on the court."

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This story was originally published July 2, 2026 at 8:39 PM.