Former WNBA star Katie Douglas says Caitlin Clark has a ‘target’ on her

Former WNBA star Katie Douglas said Caitlin Clark often played with a “target” on her back, prompting a group of Republican lawmakers to call on the league to increase player safety after a series of physical interactions between Clark and opposing players.

Speaking on “Fox News Live,” Douglas called lawmakers’ efforts “helpful” and said it’s good to bring awareness to sports and promote fairness.

“I think it would be helpful for lawmakers now to use their own voices and use their own platforms to continually raise awareness,” Douglas said.

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Clark, who plays for the Indiana Fever, has largely tried to downplay the incident, but the continued foul play and trash-talking against her led several lawmakers to send a letter to WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert calling for answers about Clark’s treatment and improving player safety.

Fever released a statement Wednesday distancing itself from the congressional letter, writing: “Neither our organization nor Caitlin had any interaction with anyone in this congressional group, and we were unaware of their letter.”

In the letter, MPs praised Clark for “transforming women’s sport” and inspiring a new generation of young women and girls. They called him “the face of your league.”

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“Millions of casual fans now watch him play. Unfortunately, what they often witness is not just aggressive competition but also repeated acts of unnecessary physical hostility and violence,” the lawmakers wrote, adding that there were reports that some incidents “may have been racially motivated.”

Lawmakers claimed the events “went far beyond routine physical play” and noted that Clark was hip-checked, stabbed in the eye and struck in the throat. There are also allegations of inconsistent management against Clark.

A source familiar with the league told Fox News Digital that player safety is the WNBA’s “number one priority,” including Clark’s safety. The league formed a Referee Task Force to better regulate the physicality of the game, which they said has led to an increase in fouls this season, according to the source.

The source added that the league is also investing in security upgrades both on and off the field, including improved security, artificial intelligence to detect online hate, and the launch of a “No Room for Hate” platform.

Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark reacts to a referee’s call during the game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis on Aug. 12, 2025. (Grace Hollars/IndyStar/USA Today Network via Imagn Images)

Douglas said the league is encouraged to apply its officiating standards fairly across the board, regardless of the player.

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“What everybody wants, the lawmakers, the players, I think the GMs, I think we need to find that consistency in officiating throughout the league,” Douglas said. “So I think it’s important for people to continue to use their voices, it’s important for people to continue to use their platforms to advocate for change when you know something isn’t right.”

Indiana Fever’s Caitlin Clark fouls out in the second half against the Dallas Wings during a preseason game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on April 30, 2026 in Indianapolis. (Justin Casterline/Getty Images)

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Douglas acknowledged that being a sports referee is a difficult job due to the real-time pressure, but said there had to be change due to the “physicality” visible in games against Clark.

Although Douglas did not characterize the physical play against Clark as jealousy, he did say that Clark had a “target” and that “if that’s the case, the league needs to understand that they need to do a better job of being consistent.”