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The WNBA reviewed the Caitlin Clark-Alyssa Thomas incident from Wednesday night.
The league apparently didn’t like what it saw.
Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas received a flagrant foul 2 penalty and a one-game suspension after the league reviewed her contact with Clark during the Mercury’s 111-109 victory over the Indiana Fever at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas received a one-game suspension after driving her fist into the throat of Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark during a June 24 game. (USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect)
The WNBA announced Thursday that Thomas was disciplined for “recklessly making contact with his fist in the throat area” of Clark.
CAITLIN CLARK OUT EARLY WITH A BACK NUMBER AS FEVER FALLS ON THE MERCURY
The play occurred with 6:52 left in the second quarter. Clark drove to the basket and fell to the ground as several players fought for the ball. During the fight, Thomas appeared to drive his fist into Clark’s neck and throat.
No foul was called on the play during the game.
The WNBA said Thursday that Thomas’ action was considered a non-basketball act. The league also noted that its office has the ability, after reviewing any game, to reclassify a flagrant foul or classify any uncalled foul as flagrant during a game. The league may also impose a fine or suspension.
Thomas will serve his suspension on June 27, when the Mercury visit Toronto Tempo.
The WNBA suspended Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas for committing a Flagrant Foul 2 against Indiana Fever superstar Caitlin Clark. (Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
The ruling came after Fever coach Stephanie White criticized the referee following the defeat.
“We have a generational talent and a WNBA superstar who had two cheap shots that weren’t called,” White said after the game.
White called the decision not to call Thomas “absolutely egregious and absolutely disrespectful.”
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White also criticized a split play in which Clark landed awkwardly after being fouled by Valeriane Ayayi on a 3-point attempt. The referees reviewed the play, but did not call it a flagrant foul. Clark grabbed her from behind afterward and then left the game and did not return. He finished with 19 points and eight assists in 20 minutes before leaving.
Caitlin Clark left the Indiana Fever’s Wednesday game against the Phoenix Mercury after suffering a back injury. (Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
Thomas’ suspension will not change the outcome. Phoenix still won the game, 111-109.
But the league’s decision does matter.
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It means that White’s complaints weren’t just post-game frustration after a close loss. At least on Thomas’ play, the WNBA admitted that the referees missed an obvious flagrant foul.
That’s the part the league should be concerned about.
Clark is the biggest draw in the WNBA and the conversation about how she referees isn’t going away. The league can insist that it is reviewing plays after the fact, and in this case it did.
But it’s fair to wonder why a fist to the throat area had to wait until the next day to become Flagrant 2.
