Overview
- Video of the June 24 play showed Alyssa Thomas make contact with Caitlin Clark’s throat while Clark lay on the floor and referees did not call a foul in real time, prompting the WNBA to upgrade the play to a Flagrant 2 and issue a one‑game suspension plus a $1,000 fine for Thomas.
- Clark left that game with a back issue, has been ruled out of the next Fever game and is listed day‑to‑day as the team treats the injury.
- Fever coach Stephanie White and team officials criticized the missed in‑game call and urged better real‑time officiating, while Phoenix coach Nate Tibbetts and Mercury teammates defended Thomas and questioned the league’s review process.
- Public reaction has been fierce, with national commentators and elected officials— including Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita—calling the one‑game penalty too light and fueling wider scrutiny on how the WNBA disciplines dangerous contact.
- The episode has reopened broader questions about how the league protects marquee players like Clark, how retrospective reviews are used, and how commercial issues such as licensing limits on Clark’s image have shaped public perceptions of the WNBA’s choices.