WNBA fans seething at punishment handed to player who put fist on Caitlin Clark's throat
WNBA fans seething at punishment handed to player who put fist on Caitlin Clark's throat
Oscar Maung-HaleyFri, June 26, 2026 at 5:43 PM UTC
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Caitlin Clark took a fist to the throat in the Fever's defeat to the Mercury -Credit:ESPN
WNBA fans are upset at the league's decision to only give Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas a one-game suspension for putting her fist into Caitlin Clark's neck.
Earlier this week, Clark and the Indiana Fever lost to the Mercury 111-109 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, with the former having to exit the game with a back injury, which will sideline her for this weekend's clash with the Los Angeles Sparks. During the second quarter of the action in Indiana, a loose ball saw Clark and Thomas fight for possession.
With Clark on the ground, Thomas dropped to a knee, balancing herself by putting her fist on the former's arm. But, the Mercury forward then ended up moving her fist from Clark's arm and onto her throat. Replays showed Thomas clearly put downward force on Clark's neck.
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Bizarrely, officials did not call a foul on Thomas at the time, nor did they review it when it was brought to their attention at halftime, leaving Fever head coach Stephanie White infuriated.
Following the game, the WNBA announced Thomas would be retrospectively be handed a Flagrant Foul 2, meaning she is suspended for Saturday's game against the Toronto Tempo.
"Per WNBA rule, the League Office has the option, following its review of any game, to reclassify a Flagrant foul or to classify as Flagrant any foul not called as such during a game and may impose a fine and/or suspension," read a statement from the WNBA.
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However, given the egregiousness of Thomas' clearly violent conduct, WNBA fans have blasted the league for only handing the Mercury forward a one-game suspension.
"This is laughable. She clearly punches Caitlin in the neck. She should be kicked off the team," wrote one fan in response to the WNBA's statement. A second added: "One game is an insult to CC. You don’t break your fall with a closed fist, no one does that s---. Alyssa intentionally targeted CC and should be out way more games."
A third said: "1 entire game? Oh no! I’m sure it won’t happen again with such severe penalties. The @wbna is a pathetic f------ joke."
A fourth commented: "I hope Clark sues the league, the Commissioner, the referees & every player in the past 2 years who have assaulted her in games!"
Alyssa Thomas was suspended for one game for pushing her fist on Caitlin Clark's throat -Credit:(Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
A fifth wrote: "Just ONE game? Shame on WNBA."
Clark also had to exit the game during the third quarter after landing awkwardly on her back following a 3-point shot where Phoenix's Valeriane Ayayi did not give the Indiana star a clear landing space, with officials calling a foul on the latter.
However, following Indiana's defeat to Phoenix, Fever coach White was left seething after both the incident with Thomas and Ayayi's foul. "It's absolutely egregious and utterly disrespectful," White said. "They [the officials] didn't see it. "The fist in the throat is crazy. It's crazy. It's dangerous."
She added: "We have a generational talent and a WNBA superstar who had two cheap shots right there that weren't called. And I just say again, absolutely unacceptable.
"And the reckless closeout that they actually reviewed and the foot still comes down on top of the defender's foot, that wasn't upgraded. Absolutely disrespectful. To me that's like a do-over on a test. How do you screw it up again?"
Source: “AOL Breaking”
