​“I got kneed in the quad, that hurts,” Clark told reporters, adding, “The ref can’t miss that, and then I have to play with a contusion in my leg the rest of the game”The Fever star said Gatling told her she was the one who “initiated contact” with the Valkyries playerCaitlin Clark was furious with a referee in the Indiana Fever’s 88-75 loss to the Golden State Valkyries.Clark, 24, exploded on WNBA official Gerda Gatling just before halftime of the Fever’s home game on Wednesday, July 15, in a scene that quickly made the rounds on X.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementClark, who is playing through multiple lower-body injuries, had been visibly struggling in the first half of the game, and after Gatling called a foul in favor of the Valkyries — just after Clark made a shot she thought should have given her a trip to the line — the WNBA star became visibly upset. Clark threw her hands into the air and ran over to Gatling.Caitlin Clark on July 15, 2026 in Indianapolis, IndianaCredit: Brian Spurlock/Icon Sportswire via GettyIt appeared she told the official she was “fouled five times” as they argued. “Gerda Gatling is giving Caitlin Clark a very long leash on the way she’s reacting, and sometimes, you’ve just got to let the player voice their opinion,” the play-by-play announcer said, noting that some officials would find Clark’s outburst “demonstrative” and worthy of a technical foul.After the game, Clark explained to reporters why she was so upset with Gatling’s officiating. “Yeah, I got kneed in the quad. That hurts,” Clark said.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement“The ref can’t miss that,” she continued. “And then I have to play with a contusion in my leg the rest of the game. It’s ridiculous. Can’t miss calls like that.”When asked what Gatling told her about the call, Clark said, “She said I initiated the contact, which is fine, you can’t knee me in the leg, knock me over.”Follow your favorite athletes on and off the field with PEOPLE’s free sports newsletter — sign up now!Still, Clark doesn’t seem to be too concerned with the injury keeping her from competing in the Fever’s next game against the Seattle Storm on Friday, July 17. “Ah, we’ll just rub it out,” Clark said of how she’ll care for her knee, adding, “Good old knuckles on it and call it a day.”AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementHead coach Stephanie White addressed her star player’s outburst on Gatling as well, telling reporters, “They said Caitlin initiated the contact. That’s all they said. She seems to always be initiating the contact. I’m trying to not get fined. Again, all I’ll say is that we just keep asking for consistency.”Read the original article on People