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WNBA Suspends Alyssa Thomas One Game; Officials Called No Foul on Throat Contact with Caitlin Clark
The league upgraded the play to a Flagrant 2 foul and cited reckless non-basketball contact. Thomas will miss Phoenix's nationally televised game Saturday against Toronto. Indiana coach Stephanie White called the incident dangerous and inconsistent with officiating standards.
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The WNBA suspended Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas for one game after she pushed her fist into Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark's throat during a 111-109 Mercury victory on Wednesday night. " Midway through the second quarter, Clark lost control of the ball while defended by Lexi Held. Thomas landed on Clark, drove her fist into Clark's throat, and stepped over her.
No foul was called on the floor. Clark left the game with 5:15 remaining in the third quarter after aggravating a back issue when she landed on a defender's foot following a three-point shot. Thomas will miss the Mercury's game Saturday at the Toronto Tempo, which will be televised nationally on CBS.
It is the first suspension of her career. " She added that Clark "is not called the same way as everybody else is called" and that repeated incidents had become frustrating. Thomas, a 6-foot-2 forward, leads the WNBA with 8.4 assists per game.
She was traded to Phoenix ahead of the 2025 season after spending her first 11 years with the Connecticut Sun. The Mercury hold a 6-19 record while the Fever stand at 10-8. The teams meet again on July 9.
