Adam Silver calls Caitlin Clark a ‘political football’ as the WNBA keeps dodging reality

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver is taking a fairly passive approach to the safety of the WNBA’s biggest superstar.

Silver appeared more interested in defusing the controversy rather than directly addressing Clark’s repeated physical treatment.

On Thursday, when Silver addressed Clark’s treatment at the CNBC Sports Summit in New York, the commission had the opportunity to demand greater accountability but instead argued that the Clark controversy was fueled by politics rather than what was happening on the field.

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“I’ve gotten to know Caitlin really well. She’s an incredible player and an incredible person, too. And she wants to focus on being the best player she can. It’s become a little bit of a political football in this country, and I think that’s incredibly unfair for her. … It’s become political ping-pong for her.”

To many Clark supporters, Silver is missing the point.

Silver has diverted attention from the repeated hard fouls and physical confrontations that have fueled criticism of the league. Instead, Silver suggested that the bigger issue was the controversy surrounding Clark, not the repetitive physical play that created him.

“After all, the issues surrounding Caitlin Clark are largely unrelated to officiating, and this particular incident is not about whether a foul was called at the time…”

OLYMPians SPEAK AGAINST WNBA OVER CAITLIN CLARK’S TREATMENT

Caitlin Clark, No. 22 of the Indiana Fever, sits courtside after being fouled during the second half of a WNBA game against the Chicago Sky at Wintrust Arena on August 30, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois.

Clark’s fans have watched the Fever star pick up a series of hard fouls this season, making Silver’s statement a tough sell.

But Silver’s reported involvement raises even more questions. According to multiple reports, she consulted with WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert before her suspension following the controversial throat hit of Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas.

When asked explicitly about the report, Silver neither confirms nor denies it.

“I will not comment on this [the Engelbert report]Because I don’t think it’s fair to Caitlin and Cathy Engelbert either.”

While acknowledging some area for improvement, Silver quickly distanced herself from larger questions about Clark’s treatment, saying, “Do we need to improve WNBA officiating? There’s no question about that.”

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At a time when the WNBA needed to take action, Silver chose optics.

NBA commissioner Adam Silver speaks during a press conference during the Emirates NBA Cup Final at T-Mobile Arena on December 16, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Kirby Lee/Imagn Images)

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