Caitlin Clark holding basketballCaitlin Clark (Photo via Imagn Images)
A former white House staffer is calling on the federal government to do something about the WNBA’s Caitlin Clark problem.

The Indiana Fever guard didn’t have the red carpet rolled out for her last season and was the victim of some brutal fouls, something which prompted her to put extra hours in the gym during the offseason in an effort to protect herself this term.

It appears that Clark has broken down in Year 2 as she’s missed half of the Fever’s games this season. While the team has managed to avoid the loss column, for the most part, the WNBA has taken a hit in ratings with its biggest star MIA.

Former White House adviser Sean McLean, who served in the post at the end of Donald Trump’s first term in office, has called on the government to step in and rectify this.

“The league has fostered a hostile workplace for Ms. Clark through excessive fouling, targeting, and hostile comments from other players and owners,” McLean wrote in the Wall Street Journal.

“These aren’t isolated—they’re documented, continuing and ignored by officials. The disparity in treatment invites real scrutiny. Not a single player has been suspended for flagrantly fouling Ms. Clark,” he added.

Sean McClean Says There’s Reasonable Cause For A Federal Probe Into Caitlin Clark’s Treatment

Indiana Fever v Chicago SkyCaitlin Clark (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)

McClean also pointed to multiple Supreme Court matters that he reckons were similar to Clark’s, noting that her treatment has been exceptionally atypical for a young athlete entering a professional sports league.

“Ms. Clark’s targeting may reflect a culture of disparate treatment, and the evidence provides reasonable cause for a federal probe into potential civil-rights violations,” he continued.

“This would mirror the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission investigation into Dearica Hamby’s pregnancy discrimination claims against the WNBA and her team. Congress and the Labor and Justice departments would be justified in examining the facts.”

Caitlin Clark would probably be the first person to oppose this. For one, it would make things worse for her by sullying her brand and image, plus who wants the government getting involved in WNBA affairs?

“Instead of protecting its transformative star, the league’s leadership ignores the relentless targeting of Ms. Clark, treating its greatest asset as if she were a PR headache,” McLean argues. “That approach could turn into a legal liability for the WNBA.”

Meanwhile, the guard remains sidelined with a groin injury and has no return date, though ESPN projects that she could be back on or around August 12.