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

Dan Dakich reacts to Adam Silver reportedly needing to urge Cathy Engelbert to suspend Alyssa Thomas.

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

Rather than directly addressing the repeated physical treatment of Clark, Silver seemed more interested in tamping down the controversy.

On Thursday, as Silver addressed Clark's treatment at a CNBC Sports Summit in New York, the commish had an opportunity to demand greater accountability but instead argued that the Clark controversy has been fueled more by politics than by what is happening on the court.

REPUBLICAN LAWMAKERS PRESS WNBA COMMISSIONER CATHY ENGELBERT TO PROTECT CAITLIN CLARK

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver speaks during a press conference at the 2026 NBA All-Star Weekend at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, Calif., on Feb. 14, 2026. (Ryan Sirius Sun/Getty Images)

"I've come to know Caitlin really well. She's an incredible player and also an incredible person. And she wants to focus on being the best player she can. She has become a bit of a political football in this country, and I think it's incredibly unfair to her. ... It's become political ping-pong with her."

To many Clark supporters, it's Silver missing the point.

Silver shifted attention away from the repeated hard fouls and physical confrontations that have fueled criticism of the league. Instead, Silver suggested the bigger problem is the controversy surrounding Clark, not the repeated physical play that created it.

"Ultimately, the issues around Caitlin Clark are not largely about officiating, and that particular incident is not about whether a foul should have been called at the time ..."

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