Alyssa Thomas was suspended one game by the WNBA after a Flagrant 2-level incident involving Caitlin Clark’s throat during Indiana’s loss to Phoenix. The suspension marks the first ban of her career, with the league also upgrading the play and citing reckless
Midway through the second quarter of the Indiana Fever’s 111-109 loss to the Phoenix Mercury on Wednesday night. Caitlin Clark went to the floor and lost control of the ball while being defended by Lexi Held of the Mercury. During the scramble, Alyssa Thomas landed on Clark, pushed her fist into Clark’s throat, and then stepped over her.
No foul was called on the play.
After the game, Fever coach Stephanie White called the incident a “cheap shot.” Clark left the game with 5:15 to play in the third quarter because of a back issue that was aggravated when she came down on a defender’s foot after shooting a 3-pointer.
The league moved the day after the incident. Thomas has been suspended for one game by the WNBA—her first career ban. She will miss the Mercury’s game on Saturday at the Toronto Tempo, a nationally televised contest on CBS.
“Absolutely disrespectful. We spent all offseason looking at officiating. and I still say the one thing that we keep asking for is consistency. (Clark) is not called the same way as everybody else is called. The fist in the throat is crazy. It’s crazy. It’s dangerous,” White said. “When you have these things continue to happen time and time and time again, eventually it gets frustrating.”.
In a statement, the WNBA said Thomas “recklessly” made contact with Clark and “committed a non-basketball act.” The incident with Clark was upgraded to a Flagrant 2-level foul.
The league said it acted under WNBA rules that give the League Office the option, after reviewing a game, to reclassify a Flagrant foul or to classify as Flagrant any foul not called as such during a game, with the potential for a fine and/or suspension.
Tempers between these teams have been simmering all season. Clark and DeWanna Bonner were mixed up and had to be separated on Monday night. Sophie Cunningham became a viral meme by pointing at Mercury players, and Clark and Thomas both picked up technical fouls.
The history adds another layer. Cunningham previously played for the Mercury, and Bonner spent a brief time with the Fever last season. White coached both Bonner and Thomas in Connecticut for a few seasons.
For Thomas. the league’s decision did not come as a surprise to those who have watched her style of play. The seven-time All-Defense selection has developed a reputation for aggressive and, at times, needlessly reckless play. Last year in the semifinals of the playoffs. Thomas ran through the legs of Napheesa Collier during an attempt at a steal. No foul was called, and Collier left the game in pain after tearing three ligaments in her ankle.
Thomas has also elbowed Kiki Iriafen in the throat and thrown Angel Reese to the floor in recent seasons.
Alyssa Thomas. a product of the University of Maryland where she was a three-time ACC Player of the Year for Brenda Frese. leads the WNBA in assists this season with 8.4 per game. The 6-foot-2 forward, who owns an Olympic gold medal, led the WNBA in rebounding in 2023 and steals in 2020. She spent the first 11 years of her career with the Connecticut Sun before being traded to the Mercury ahead of the 2025 season.
The Mercury (6-13) host the Fever (10-8) again on July 9 in the final regular season matchup between the two teams.
Alyssa Thomas Caitlin Clark WNBA suspension Flagrant 2 Phoenix Mercury Indiana Fever Stephanie White Lexi Held Toronto Tempo CBS officiating consistency
Flagrant 2 sounds deserved but the refs never seem consistent anyway.
I swear Caitlin Clark gets the short end of the stick. Like how is there no foul first then later it’s upgraded? This is exactly why people hate officiating.
Maybe it was accidental? I mean it says she pushed her fist into her throat, but in chaos plays half the time people don’t even know where their hands are. One game suspension feels too light though if it really was “non-basketball act”.
Cheap shot my whole soul. Also why does the headline say Alyssa Thomas suspended but the article keeps talking about Caitlin’s back issue like they’re related?? Like if Clark got hurt from stepping wrong that’s one thing, but the throat thing is a whole different level. I’m glad she’ll be out for that Toronto game on CBS though, hopefully the league actually calls it the same way every time.