Caitlin Clark, despite being sidelined by a groin injury for the remainder of the 2025 WNBA season, has found herself in hot water off the court.

After Indiana Fever’s Game 2 playoff victory over the Atlanta Dream, Clark made a social media post that drew criticism from league officials. She commented “Refs couldn’t stop us” on an Instagram post celebrating the team’s “bench mob” performance. The WNBA responded by imposing a $200 fine for that comment.

Not one to accept the punishment quietly, Clark mocked the fine in a post on X (formerly Twitter). Her message read: “Got fined $200 for this lol😂😂😂😂😂BENCH MOB WILL BE EVEN MORE ROWDY TOMORROW LETS GOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!” She seemed more amused than upset, using the moment to lean into the support she has from fans and teammates on the bench.

Sophie Cunningham, Clark’s teammate, joined in the lighthearted jabs. Cunningham, also inactive for the season due to injury, quoted Clark’s post and quipped, “That’s gonna really break the bank for her.

Starting a GoFundMe now!” Her response underscored the sense of camaraderie among the Fever players and amplified the spectacle of the fine.

Cunningham herself has a track record of running afoul of the league over comments about officiating. Earlier in the season she was fined $500 for a TikTok video in which she lip-synced to a Sabrina Carpenter song, including the lyrics “Stupid. Or is it, slow? Or maybe, it’s useless?” while tagging “@ some refs.” Her post generated more than a million views before the league stepped in.

That wasn’t the end of Cunningham’s clashes with the WNBA. She was fined $1,500 in a later incident after criticizing referees for inconsistency during an episode of her podcast Show Me Something. She has also faced discipline over comments implying that officials favor certain players and are uneven in foul calls.

Beyond just the fines, the controversy opens up larger questions about officiating in the WNBA, especially consistency, protection of players, and how much latitude players have for criticizing officials.

Several players and coaches have expressed frustration this season with perceived inconsistency in foul calls or how physical certain matchups have been allowed to get.

Clark’s injury adds extra weight to her comments. She’s been out since mid‑July and was ruled out for the rest of the season on September 4. Even from the bench, her voice and reactions are being felt.

Her social media posts and the responses from teammates like Cunningham are contributing to a growing narrative that players want transparency in how officiating is handled, and perhaps more protection—especially since emotional or physical momentum often shifts dramatically in playoff settings.

WNBA officials have not released detailed public explanations for each fine. The league tends to enforce its social media and conduct policies with little commentary, which sometimes leads players and fans to question the consistency or reasoning behind disciplinary actions.

Some view the fines as a kind of friction between star culture and league infractions policies: when top players like Clark feel infractions are being ignored, or when they see teammates being hard‑fouled without calls, their frustrations bubble up, often publicly.

And the league, seeking to maintain order, steps in with fines or other penalties when the comments cross thresholds of acceptable criticism.

There’s also an element of performance, of course. Social media plays a big role; posts go viral, fans amplify them, and sometimes the fines themselves become talking points.

Cunningham’s TikTok got significant attention; Clark’s Instagram replies and later mocking of the fine also became part of the post‑game playoff conversation. In that sense, criticism of the refs isn’t just about perceived injustice—it’s about branding, fandom, and maintaining momentum on public platforms.

As the Indiana Fever prepare for the next round—semifinals against the Las Vegas Aces—Clark won’t be on the court, but she won’t be silent.

Her bench presence, her social media voice, and her relationships with players like Cunningham suggest that the battle over how the WNBA handles officiating criticism is still very much ongoing. Whether this leads to changes in policy, more consistent enforcement, or just more fines like this remains to be seen.