Caitlin Clark, the dynamic star of the basketball world, found herself in hot water again in August after earning her fifth technical foul of the season. This time, it was during a game against the Seattle Storm, where in a moment of frustration, Clark hit the post of the hoop. Despite defending her actions, the referee wasn’t having it, telling her that it was “disrespectful to the game of basketball.” Fast forward to September, and the 22-year-old was back on the court facing the Las Vegas Aces. In the first quarter, while defending, Clark was called for a shooting foul, and once again, she vented her frustration on the stanchion. The result? Her sixth technical foul of the season, putting her just one foul away from a game suspension.

With the looming threat of suspension hanging over her, Clark’s fiery demeanor has sparked conversation, including from her vocal supporter, ESPN host Elle Duncan. On The Elle Duncan Show this Monday, Duncan weighed in on Clark’s growing attitude issues, concerns that echo those of Clark’s father. Duncan acknowledged that Clark’s competitive edge has been a double-edged sword, dating back to her college days. While Duncan made it clear she admires Clark’s intensity and passion, she advised the 2x AP Player of the Year to rein it in a bit, lest her temper cost her in the long run.

“A lot of people didn’t watch Caitlin I think in college at least her whole career that’s very much a part of her personality. In fact atb the tournament, the first game or so of the tournament it was a point of conversation amongst our guests with Andrea Carter and just how she needed to keep her emotions in check. How her team played you know particularly well, she didn’t play well but her emotions have really got the best of her and she and she acknowledged it. You know she acknowledges all the time, in fact, Lisa Bluder used to call technicals on her at practical because she gets so fired up. No I’m not concerned about he being fiery. I’m not concerned about any of those things or the fact that she you know airs her grievances with the refs,” Duncan stated.

“I could have done a little bit better of a job controlling my own emotions,” Clark had stated after a game against the Minnesota Lynx in September. The Des Moines-born had taken a few hits from the opposition’s athletes which weren’t called a foul by the referees. This had Clark boiling in the heat of the moment, especially when Napheesa Collier nudged Clark to the floor, who lay there expressing the idea of getting a foul call, which didn’t happen. Hence, later on, Clark admitted that she needed to keep her emotions in check, something that her father had also advised her.

During a game against the Holy Cross this year, Clark, while representing the Iowa Hawkeyes, spent a lot of time arguing with the refs. In one such instance when the Cross were positioned at 29, they were on their way to score a basket. However, Kate Martin was knocked out on the floor during the play and Clark was instantly up for a foul call for her teammate. When her father noticed the same from his seat at the Carver-Hawkeye Arena he asked her daughter to “shut up” as per Fox Radio Sports and concentrate on the proceedings. However, as for Clark, she doesn’t yet feel that she has an attitude issue.

Caitlin Clark justifies her attitude issues

Though Clark accepted that she might have gone overboard while complaining against the Lynx athletes, she also shared “But that’s never something I would ever change.” This points out that Clark doesn’t feel the need to modify her behavior despite getting six techs this season. Even during her fifth technical foul, the NCAA all-time points leader had opined that the refs call reminded her of “the technical I got in college, where I said ‘damn it,’ where it’s like a personal frustration,” yet according to her this was somewhat biased since it didn’t involve the refs or other players – not even her teammates – at any point in time.

Even after her sixth technical foul this season, Clark had lambasted the referees, opining in disbelief “Like, really?” before pacifying herself that it was just one of the rules of the game and “they’re never gonna overturn that.” Though the techs do not carry over to the post-season and will be reset, it reminds us to see if Clark can better herself from the next season onwards.

But for that to happen, she needs to realize her issues. Maybe if not for the refs, now that her supporter Duncan has called out for it, maybe Clark will understand her problem. And if not, then her dad’s always there to help her introspect.