Cheryl Reeve Pours Cold Water on Caitlin Clark Being 'Targeted' by WNBA Foes

While anybody who has watched Indiana Fever star guard Caitlin Clark compete in the WNBA over the past two seasons can probably admit that she often has to deal with extremely physical and strenuous defense by her peers, there has been debate about whether this physicality is egregious or whether it's just the necessary byproduct of trying to stop one of the sport's most dynamic players.

This debate heated up after Clark was eye-poked by Connecticut Sun guard Jacy Sheldon and then shoved to the ground by Sheldon's teammate Marina Mabrey in the span of about 15 seconds during their June 17 game. In the wake of this, many have asserted that Clark is getting targeted by opponents.

Minnesota Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve disputed this sentiment during a recent conversation on the FanDuel Sports Network that was released on YouTube June 28.

"I don't think it's about star players. I know, I mean, I get the nature of the Caitlin Clark, of the popularity and eyes on [her], so everyone is watching [her], a lot of people are watching that never watched before," Reeve said.

"I don't believe Caitlin Clark is targeted in any way. It's a great player. You're going to get [a] team's best efforts. I don't agree with egregious contact and the things that occurred after stuff like that occurred after [the live action foul on Clark during the June 17 Fever vs. Sun] game... There was mismanagement by the officials that could have avoided some of the situation that happened."