WNBA suspends Alyssa Thomas for hit on Caitlin Clark

The WNBA suspended Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas for one game after a league review found she recklessly hit Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark in the throat during Wednesday night’s game, a no-call that drew sharp criticism from Fever coach Stephanie White.

The league on Thursday assessed Thomas a Flagrant Foul 2 for the second-quarter play in Phoenix’s 111-109 road win over Indiana at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. The contact occurred with 6:52 left in the quarter as Clark, Thomas and other players scrambled for a loose ball. Thomas’ closed fist made contact with Clark’s throat while Clark was on the floor.

The WNBA said its review deemed Thomas to have committed a “non-basketball act.” League rules allow the office to review games after the fact and either assign a flagrant foul on a play that was not called or reclassify a foul that was called during the game.

Officials did not call a foul when the play happened. White called that decision “egregious” after the game.

“The fact that it was a no-call … You got to call it,” White said, adding that the lack of a foul was “absolutely unacceptable.”

The Guardian reported that Thomas also appeared to knee Clark in the groin during the jostle before her fist struck Clark’s throat as she fell. Clark still completed a pass to teammate Aliyah Boston as Thomas got up and stepped over her.

White used her postgame news conference to criticize what she described as uncalled “cheap shots” on Clark.

“We have a generational talent and a WNBA superstar who had two cheap shots right there that weren’t called,” White said. “And I just say, again, [it’s] absolutely unacceptable.”

Less than a minute after the Thomas play, Mercury forward Valeriane Ayayi fouled Clark while Clark was attempting a 3-pointer. Clark landed on Ayayi’s foot and fell, then grabbed her back as she got up. Officials reviewed the play but kept it as a common foul. White argued it should have been elevated to a flagrant foul for restricting Clark’s landing space.

“No 1, you gotta call it. It’s absolutely egregious and utterly disrespectful,” White said. “And then No 2, you’re coming in here aware of what happened two nights ago, and that shit still happens? Absolutely unacceptable.”

White was referring to Monday’s Fever-Mercury game, which included six technical fouls and one ejection. Clark received her fifth technical foul of the season in that game. Indiana asked the league to rescind it, but the WNBA confirmed the technical will stand.

Clark left Wednesday’s game in the third quarter with a back injury after scoring 19 points and adding eight assists in 20 minutes. White did not say the back issue was connected to the disputed plays. Clark had previously missed a game last month with the same injury designation, The Guardian reported. CBS News, citing CBS Sports, reported that Clark has a history of back issues.

Thomas finished Wednesday’s game with 24 points and eight rebounds. CBS News reported the WNBA said Thomas will serve the suspension June 27 when Phoenix plays Toronto at home. The Guardian reported she will serve it Saturday when the Mercury visit the Toronto Tempo.

The league has previously upgraded fouls involving Clark after games. Last season, Marina Mabrey, then with the Connecticut Sun, was called for a technical foul against Indiana; the WNBA later upgraded it to a Flagrant 2.

White said consistency remains the central concern.

“We spent all offseason looking at officiating, and I still say the one thing that we keep asking for is consistency,” White said. “[Clark] is not called the same way as everybody else is called. The fist in the throat is crazy. It’s crazy. It’s dangerous.”