WNBA Outlines Security Response as Stalking Cases Draw Attention

The WNBA has a three-step system for responding to reported threats against players, according to reporting by The Guardian, as several stalking cases involving current and former league players bring renewed attention to athlete safety. A league source told the newspaper that every reported incident is investigated and that player protection is treated as a priority.

Under the process described to The Guardian, the league’s Global Security Operations Center first assesses whether a reported threat is credible and begins an investigation. The center operates around the clock. The league then decides whether additional security should be deployed, before considering measures that can include restricting or banning an individual from games and arenas or referring the matter to local authorities.

The report highlighted the case of Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark. A 55-year-old man who believed he was in a relationship with Clark sent her hundreds of messages between December 12, 2024, and January 11, 2025, including threatening and sexually explicit communications, The Guardian reported. He was arrested at an Indianapolis hotel and was sentenced in July to two and a half years in prison. Clark said the experience made her fear for her safety and change her appearance in public.

Clark is not the only basketball player to face such conduct. The Guardian said a 40-year-old man pleaded guilty in 2024 in a case involving then-UConn player Paige Bueckers. Former Indiana Fever guard Syd Colson has also spoken publicly about being stalked, while Toronto Tempo player Kiki Rice obtained a restraining order during her college career at UCLA. In June, a 48-year-old man was charged in connection with stalking Clark’s Fever teammate Sophie Cunningham.

The league’s approach extends beyond arenas. The Guardian reported that WNBA security planning also covers hotels, airports and online activity. The league’s new collective bargaining agreement includes minimum safety requirements that each team must maintain, giving clubs a baseline for protecting players as they travel, compete and interact with the public.

Players continue to describe most encounters with supporters positively. Portland Fire player Emily Engstler recently said the team is recognized regularly and called Portland fans respectful. The distinction, according to psychologist Shira Gabriel in The Guardian’s report, is between ordinary fan connection and conduct that dehumanizes the person at the center of that attention. The WNBA’s stated process is designed to respond when that boundary is crossed.