Overview
- Video from Wednesday showed Alyssa Thomas make contact with Caitlin Clark’s throat during a loose-ball scramble and officials did not call a foul at the time, prompting a league review that upgraded the play to a Flagrant Foul 2.
- The WNBA issued a one-game suspension and a $1,000 fine for Thomas, who missed Saturday’s game while serving the penalty.
- Caitlin Clark left that game with a back complaint and has been ruled out of Indiana’s next contest as the team evaluates her condition.
- Fever coach Stephanie White and teammates publicly demanded better in-game officiating and protection for Clark, while Phoenix coach Nate Tibbetts defended Thomas and criticized the league’s review process as incomplete.
- The episode has intensified broader debate over repeated postgame upgrades of hits on Clark, whether social media or a player’s profile affects discipline, and what the WNBA must change to ensure consistent on-court safety.