Team USA head coach Kara Lawson went viral for criticising Caitlin Clark’s late-game mistakes in Indiana Fever’s 109-102 loss to the New York Liberty.
The August 22 game saw Clark give up an uncontested offensive rebound and make a game-ending frustration foul after that mistake, leading to a costly loss for the Fever.
Team USA coach Lawson was on commentary for that game and was critical of Clark’s mistakes, but has a different perspective on the player before the 2026 FIBA World Cup.
Kara Lawson calls Caitlin Clark a game-changer before World CupLawson spoke to the media before the World Cup begins later this week and addressed how valuable Clark can be for Team USA at the tournament.
“She’s locked in and ready to go. She’s somebody that can change games with her ability to create pace, her ability to score, playmake…to get hot to stretch the floor, the spacing that she provides, the attention that she draws.”
Even if Lawson was upset with Clark’s late-game performance against the Liberty, her job as Team USA’s coach will be to help Clark manage those moments and execute properly in the future.
One mistake or heavy criticism cannot alter the on-court truth, that Team USA needs Clark to be a highly productive guard. She is averaging 22.5 points, 8.4 assists, and 3.9 rebounds in the WNBA this season.
Photo by Alexa Alejandro/FIBA via Getty ImagesLawson needs to find ways to get the best out of Clark instead of letting past moments cloud her judgement right now.
What did Kara Lawson say about Caitlin Clark during Fever vs. Liberty?While on commentary for the Fever vs. Liberty game, Lawson slammed Clark for giving up an uncontested offensive rebound as ‘unacceptable’ before criticising the 24-year-old for her frustration foul and foul-baiting follow-up shot.
“They just give up a possession right there by not boxing out the shooter. Unacceptable.”
“That’s a poor decision by Indiana. Even though this was the best shot, she feels frustrated that she didn’t get a call there. It’s okay to be frustrated, but you can’t foul here. It’s still a one-possession game. Play the game out, get the stop, and see if you can keep it at one possession.”
Fans were worried that this might impact Lawson’s perception of Clark before the tournament, but her recent comments don’t seem to reflect that.
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