Ever since Caitlin Clark entered the WNBA, there has been a lot of conversation regarding the way that she is officiated by the WNBA referees, with fans and Clark herself often getting frustrated at a lack of foul calls in her favor. But one longtime referee doesn’t seem to think that there is any issue with the way that referees call her games.
During a recent interview with the Indianapolis Star, longtime basketball referee Bo Boroski had a pretty clear message to Caitlin Clark and her supporters, claiming that there is nothing wrong with the way she is officiated by WNBA referees and that the reaction has been widely overblown.
“I think what’s changed is the amount of focus due to the explosion in popularity of the sport,” Boroski told the Indy Star. “So, you’ll never convince me the level of physicality in any sport has changed as much as the public would like to believe.”
Boroski does think that Clark is being challenged harder by opponents, however, due to her immense talent and popularity. But that’s not unique to Clark.
“I don’t think this is some new phenomenon. I think she’s being challenged because of who she is and the talent she is,” Boroski explained. “And from an officiating focus, I think the WNBA has the appropriate mechanisms in place to make sure that it is taken care of.”
Meanwhile, Cory Furman – a referee for Division II men’s basketball – suggested that referees are facing an extreme amount of pressure when it comes to calling Clark’s games as he said that he can “guarantee” that Clark’s name has come up when the WNBA officials receive feedback from the league.
“I can tell you that at that level, every play is critiqued, every game is analyzed regardless if you’re talking about Caitlin Clark or anybody else, each play is heavily scrutinized by leadership,” Furman said. “I guarantee you her name has come up in the memos sent out to the WNBA officials but, at the same time, they have to be careful because they don’t want to officiate her any differently than anybody else. There’s got to be some equity there. And obviously, public perception doesn’t feel that way.”
So while fans and Clark herself might think that calls aren’t going her way, the referees clearly do not agree.
