WNBA Suspends Alyssa Thomas for Striking Caitlin Clark

The WNBA has suspended Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas for one game after she drove her fist into the throat of Indiana Fever superstar Caitlin Clark during a loose-ball scramble, a play that went uncalled by officials during the game but was later deemed a “non-basketball act” by the league.

The Incident

With 6:52 remaining in the second quarter of Wednesday night’s game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Clark drove toward the basket and fell to the floor. As multiple players fought for the ball, Thomas drove her fist into Clark’s throat area before getting up and stepping over her, according to Fox News.

No foul was called by game officials. The following day, the WNBA reviewed the play, upgraded it to a Flagrant Foul 2, and issued Thomas a one-game suspension along with a $1,000 fine. The league cited Thomas for “recklessly making contact with her fist to the throat area” of Clark, as Al Jazeera reported.

Thomas will serve her suspension on Saturday when the Mercury visit the Toronto Tempo.

Coach’s Outrage

Fever head coach Stephanie White did not hold back in her criticism of the officiating after the game.

“We have a generational talent and a WNBA superstar who had two cheap shots right there that weren’t called,” White said, as reported by Fox News. She called the no-call on Thomas “absolutely egregious and utterly disrespectful.”

White also referenced the physicality of the teams’ previous meeting on Monday night, which featured six technical fouls and one ejection. “You’re coming in here aware of what happened two nights ago and that (expletive) still happens? Absolutely unacceptable,” she said, according to the New York Post.

Clark’s Injury and Status

Clark left the game in the third quarter with a back injury and did not return. She finished with 19 points and 8 assists in 20 minutes. The Fever later ruled her out for their game against the Los Angeles Sparks on June 27.

The two-time All-Star has been averaging a career-high 21.2 points, 8.2 assists, and 4.0 rebounds this season.

Broader Context: A Pattern of Physical Play

The incident is the latest flashpoint in a growing debate about how the WNBA’s biggest star is being treated on the court. Clark, the No. 1 overall pick in 2024, has driven unprecedented attention and revenue to the league but has also faced frequent hard fouls and contentious interactions with opponents.

This is not the first time the league has upgraded a foul against Clark after the fact. Last season, Marina Mabrey (then with Connecticut) received a technical foul during a game against Indiana that was later upgraded to a Flagrant 2, the NY Post noted.

Clark’s technical foul situation has also drawn attention. She received her fifth technical of the season on June 22 for clapping during a confrontation — a call she vehemently disputed. The Fever petitioned the league to have it rescinded, but the WNBA confirmed the technical would stand. Under league rules, eight technical fouls trigger an automatic one-game suspension.

Adding to the controversy, the Phoenix Mercury’s official social media account posted a stick-figure doodle after the game that appeared to mock Clark’s injury. The image showed a figure in teammate DeWanna Bonner’s jersey lying on the ground with the caption “De-Wanna piece of this?!?” The post was deleted after widespread backlash, as reported by the NY Post.

Analysis: Officiating Under Scrutiny

The central question raised by this incident is why a fist to the throat area was not called during the game but was upgraded to a Flagrant 2 the following day. The league’s after-the-fact action, while significant, does not change the fact that Thomas remained in the game after the incident.

Fever president Kelly Krauskopf issued a statement supporting the league’s action while emphasizing that “player safety should be paramount in our league.”

What’s Next

Thomas will serve her suspension on June 27 against Toronto. The Fever will host the Los Angeles Sparks on the same day, but without Clark, who is sidelined with her back injury. The broader debate about physical play, officiating consistency, and player protection in the WNBA shows no signs of abating, particularly as the league’s marquee player continues to draw both record audiences and aggressive defensive attention.