Thomas Suspension Sparks Debate
WNBA Suspends Alyssa Thomas for Flagrant Foul on Caitlin Clark, Fuels Officiating Debate
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Key Points
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The incident occurred with 6:52 remaining in the second quarter during a loose-ball scramble near the basket, and officials did not call a foul in live action.
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After review, the league upgraded the play to a Flagrant Foul 2 and issued a one-game suspension along with a $1,000 fine, describing the action as 'recklessly making contact with her fist to the throat area' and a non-basketball act.
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Caitlin Clark left the game midway through the third quarter with back pain and did not return; in the game she had 19 points in 20 minutes before exiting.
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Fever coach Stephanie White criticized the officiating, saying there were 'two cheap shots' that weren't called and urging consistency in how Clark is officiated compared with other players.
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The incident fed a broader debate about WNBA officiating and player safety, with observers noting that the league acted after widespread discussion and a video circulating online of the play.
The WNBA suspended Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas for one game and fined her $1,000 on June 25, 2026, after reviewing video of her punching Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark in the throat during their June 24 matchup, according to Local 10. The league classified the hit as a Flagrant Foul 2 and a non-basketball act — even though officials called nothing during live play. Phoenix won the game 111–109.
Clark, who had scored 19 points and added 8 assists in just 20 minutes, left the game in the third quarter with back pain and did not return, per ESPN. The suspension will cost Thomas the Mercury's next game against the Toronto Tempo. It is the first time in her 13-year career she has been disciplined for anything beyond a technical foul.
A Throat Punch No Official Caught in Real Time
The incident happened at 6:52 of the second quarter during a loose-ball scramble near the basket, according to Marca. Thomas drove her fist into Clark's throat area and then stepped over her as she lay on the court. Referees did not blow the whistle. No foul, flagrant or otherwise, was called during the game.
The WNBA League Office reviewed footage after the game and upgraded the play to a Flagrant Foul 2. The league said Thomas was "recklessly making contact with her fist to the throat area" — language that signals the hit went far beyond a routine foul, per Oregon Live. The league has authority to reclassify any foul not called during live action to protect player safety.
Fever Coach Calls It Egregious, Demands Consistency
Indiana Fever head coach Stephanie White did not hold back after the game. She said there were "two cheap shots" that officials missed and called the situation "absolutely unacceptable and utterly disrespectful to a generational talent." White also urged the league to officiate Clark the same way it officiates every other player in the league.
Fever President Kelly Krauskopf added that "player safety should be paramount in our league" and said the team's focus was on Clark's health, per CBS News. The second controversial play White referenced involved Phoenix's Valeriane Ayayi, who made what observers called a reckless close-out on Clark during a three-point attempt. Officials reviewed that play but did not upgrade it.
Thomas's Aggressive Style Under a Harsh New Spotlight
Thomas is a 6-time All-Star known for physical, relentless play. She set a WNBA record with 8 triple-doubles in the 2025 season, per TSN. She came to Phoenix in a blockbuster 2025 four-team trade that reshaped the Western Conference. Supporters argue the suspension is an overreaction to a loose-ball scramble that reflects her trademark style.
Critics see it differently. Analysts note that stepping over a downed player after a fist to the throat goes beyond competitive physicality. The preceding game between these two teams — just two days earlier — had already produced six technical fouls and one ejection, per KOB. The pattern has raised serious questions about how physical play around Clark is being managed.
Viral Video Forces a Wider Officiating Reckoning
Video of the play spread quickly online, putting pressure on the league to act. Clark reportedly generates roughly 26.5% of the WNBA's total revenue, according to River Bender. Her back injury alone raised concerns about gate receipts and TV ratings for upcoming Fever games, which typically draw twice the viewers of other league matchups.
The league's decision to suspend Thomas after a no-call highlights a growing tension in WNBA officiating: how much physical defense is too much when the game's biggest star is involved? Coach White said teams spent all offseason studying officiating but that consistency still eludes the league. Thomas will sit when Phoenix faces Toronto on June 27 — and the debate over how to protect Clark without over-whistling every defensive play is far from settled.
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