Caitlin Clark Talks Fine for 'Refs Couldn't Stop Us' Comment on Photo After Fever Win

Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark says she was fined $200 for appearing to criticize the officiating of her team's Game 3 win against the Atlanta Dream in the first round of the 2025 WNBA playoffs.

Clark had commented "Elite bench mob" and "Refs couldn't stop us" on a Fever's Instagram post that showed her celebrating Thursday's series-clinching win.

"Got fined $200 for this lol," Clark wrote Saturday when sharing a screenshot of the comments.

Clark, who is sidelined with a season-ending groin injury, promised her "bench mob" would be even rowdier when the Fever and Las Vegas Aces tip off the WNBA semifinals on Sunday in Nevada.

Fever guard Sophie Cunningham joked that she would start a GoFundMe campaign to pay for Clark's fine.

Cunningham has previously said she received multiple fines for criticizing WNBA referees this season, including a $500 fine for a July TikTok post and a $1,500 fine for comments on her podcast in August.

Clark was a visible presence on the sideline as Aliyah Boston's late basket and Lexie Hull's game-clinching steal helped the Fever close out an 87-85 win.

The victory allowed the Fever to claim the franchise's first playoff series win since 2015.

Clark's comment wasn't the first time officiating has been a focus during the series between the Fever and Dream.

Fever head coach Stephanie White used both of her challenges early in the second quarter of Game 1 in order to successfully overturn calls against both Hull and Boston.

She was then assessed a technical foul after arguing with officials about a non-call in the fourth quarter of the Fever's series-opening loss.

After Game 3, it was Atlanta head coach Karl Smesko expressing frustration with officials.

Smesko said after the Dream's elimination loss that he had attempted to call a timeout just before Hull stole the ball with less than 10 seconds remaining on the clock.

"I was screaming timeout as loud as I could, jumping up and down. It's loud in here. The officials didn't hear it," Smesko said Thursday. "And unfortunately, we turned it over a couple seconds later."

The Fever will now advance to face the Aces in a best-of-five series with a trip to the WNBA Finals on the line. Games 1 and 2 will take place in Las Vegas before the series shifts to Gainbridge Fieldhouse for next Friday's Game 3.