How do personal and flagrant fouls work in the WNBA?

With a highly touted rookie class highlighted by Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, Cameron Brink and others, the WNBA is enjoying a surge of new fans.

Clark, the leading scorer in the history of college basketball, has garnered the most attention, as she looks to help lead the Indiana Fever back into championship contention and on the level of two-time WNBA MVP A'ja Wilson and the back-to-back champion Las Vegas Aces. The Fever haven't won a WNBA title since 2012.

But not all of the attention around Clark and the league has been positive.

Chicago Sky guard Chennedy Cartershoulder-checked Clark from behind, knocking the No. 1 pick in the 2024 WNBA draft pick to the ground. The away-from-the-ball foul, which was later upgraded from a common foul to a flagrant foul 1, sparked questions and conversations about the physicality in the ever-growing sport of women's basketball.

To inform fans about the WNBA rules of conduct, here's a breakdown of fouls in the league and how they're regulated.

What is a personal foul?

Not all personal fouls are the same in the WNBA. Common fouls are personal fouls that happen regularly throughout a game. Each player is allowed five personal fouls. They are disqualified from the game on the sixth personal foul.

What is a flagrant foul?

Flagrant fouls occur less regularly, thus resulting in a harsher penalty than personal fouls.

An official will assess a flagrant foul 1 if the contact is deemed "unnecessary."

The WNBA rulebook outlines a flagrant 1 as follows:

"Rule 12B, Section IV-a.: If contact committed against a player, with or without the ball, is interpreted to be unnecessary, a flagrant foul-penalty 1 will be assessed. A personal foul is charged to the offender and a team foul is charged to the team."

Carter's foul on Clark was ultimately deemed a flagrant 1 due to the unnecessary contact.

A flagrant 1 results in two free throws for the player who is the object of the foul, and that player's team is awarded possession of the ball.

A player is automatically disqualified from the game after committing two flagrant fouls.

An official will assess a flagrant foul 2 if the contact is deemed both "unnecessary" and "excessive."

The WNBA rulebook outlines a flagrant foul 2 as follows:

"Rule 12B, Section IV-b.: If contact committed against a player, with or without the ball, is interpreted to be unnecessary and excessive, a flagrant foul-penalty 2 will be assessed. A personal foul is charged to the offender and a team foul is charged to the team."

A flagrant 2 results in an immediate disqualification.

Carter received one flagrant point for the foul on Clark. A player who commits a flagrant 1 at four or five points receives an automatic one-game suspension, according to the WNBA rulebook. A player who commits a flagrant 2 at four or five points receives an automatic two-game suspension. A player who commits a flagrant 1 or a flagrant 2 at six or more points receives an automatic two-game suspension.

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