Broadcaster Dan Dakich has voiced significant criticism regarding the WNBA's approach to the physical play directed at Indiana Fever player Caitlin Clark, going as far as to call the league a "joke."
Dakich specifically targeted WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert and the league's head of officials, Sue Blinds, for their handling of the situation. His comments followed an incident during a game on June 24, 2026, where Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas was assessed a Flagrant Foul 2 penalty and suspended for making contact with Clark's throat while both were on the court during a scrum. The play initially went uncalled, and Clark left the game due to injury.
"It's complete bulls--- the way this league is handling it. It's utter bulls---," Dakich stated on his show "Dan Dakich Unfiltered." "And frankly, I'm going to the league office. I'm calling out the commissioner. I'm calling out the head of officials."
Dakich also linked the perceived issues in officiating and league management to the presence of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) officials. He suggested that these individuals may be unqualified to manage games effectively, drawing parallels to similar issues he believes exist in college basketball, the NBA, and the NFL, but asserting the WNBA is at the forefront.
"The WNBA is at the forefront of DEI if they have unqualified people that cannot handle calling a game like that," Dakich said. "And frankly, it's always the same African-American woman that doesn't make calls, at least according to Caitlin Clark and her fans."
He further criticized the Indiana Fever's leadership, specifically COO and General Manager Amber Cox, for what Dakich described as silence on the treatment of Clark. "Amber Cox, who's the president of the freaking Fever. Her dumbas-- was on Twitter last night congratulating fans for different things. I mean, I've never heard her stand up," Dakich remarked.
Dakich suggested that league officials and team leadership are overly concerned with public perception and the potential for being labeled racist, particularly in the context of events from 2020. "They're all afraid of angry African-American lesbians. They're all afraid, like I guess we were all supposed to be back in 2020, of the media making you racist. Does being called a racist really bother you anymore? Does it even matter?"
He called for stronger protective measures for Clark, advocating for team leadership to encourage players to defend her and to consider more forceful responses if similar incidents occur. Dakich suggested a "Malice at the Palace" type of reaction for future menacing contact against Clark.
Clark is not scheduled to play in the Fever's upcoming game against the Los Angeles Sparks on Friday. The Indiana Fever currently hold a 10-8 record this season. In 17 games played, Clark has averaged 21.2 points, 8.2 assists, and 4.0 rebounds per game.