Caitlin Clark says Sky’s Chennedy Carter doesn’t owe an apology for flagrant foul: ‘There’s no grudges’

‘Heat of the moment’: Sky’s Chennedy Carter, Angel Reese address Caitlin Clark foul

Chicago Sky’s Chennedy Carter and Angel Reese on Monday spoke about the flagrant foul against Caitlin Clark.

Caitlin Clark has put the controversy around last Saturday’s flagrant foul by Sky guard Chennedy Carter to bed.

Prior to the Indiana Fever’s game against the Washington Mystics, Clark was asked if Carter owed her a public apology for her dead-ball foul that sent Clark to the floor during last Saturday’s Fever-Sky game.

Clark said Carter does not owe her anything.

“No,” Clark told reporters Thursday evening. “Sometimes your emotions get the best of you. It’s happened to me multiple times throughout the course of my career.”

This comes after a person with a camera harassed Carter outside the Sky’s team hotel in Washington D.C. prior to Chicago’s win over the Mystics.

Sky head coach Teresa Weatherspoon addressed the hard foul last Monday after the foul was upgraded to a Flagrant 1, saying she and Carter discussed the foul and said openly the moment was not appropriate.

“Physical play, intensity, and a competitive spirit are hallmarks of Chicago Sky basketball,” Weatherspoon said after the Sky’s practice on Monday. “Chennedy got caught up in the heat of the moment in an effort to win the game. She and I have discussed what happened and that it was not appropriate, nor is it what we do or who we are. Chennedy understands that there are better ways to handle situations on the court, and she will learn from this as we all will.”

“As a team, we will grow together and continue to work hard to display strong leadership and set a positive example for our competitors, fans, and partners.”

Clark said there’s no ill will or lasting feelings against Carter.

“There’s no grudges or nothing like that,” Clark said. “It’s a sport. It’s competitive. It’s not going to be nice all the time.”

The full exchange

Question: Do you think Chennedy Carter owes you a public apology after last week’s flagrant foul?

Caitlin Clark’s Answer: “No. You know, basketball’s competitive. I get it, you know? Sometimes your emotions get the best of you. It’s happened to me multiple times throughout the course of my career. People are competitive. It is what it is. And she’s having a tremendous season. She’s played great basketball, in my eyes probably in first place for Sixth Player of the Year. She’s been great off the bench for them. I think she had, what, 25 here last night and really helped them win the game. And that’s just not where my focus is. That’s not what I think about on a day-to-day basis. I think about my team. I think about ways I can get better. It’s just basketball at the end of the day. There’s no grudges or nothing like that. It’s a sport. It’s competitive, it’s not gonna be nice all the time, and that’s not what basketball is. And I think people who play at the highest level understand that.”

Chicago rallied to win 79-71 behind Carter’s 25 points, as she continues to spark the Sky off the bench, Angel Reese’s third-career double double and Isabelle Harrison’s breakout 14-point game.