WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert was met with relentless boos during the Commissioner’s Cup final at Barclays Center in Brooklyn after a separate Caitlin Clark controversy drew angry reactions. Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas has said she’s received rac
For a few moments at Barclays Center in Brooklyn on Tuesday, WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert looked at ease in the spotlight—posing courtside with NFL legend Tom Brady, a minority owner with the Las Vegas Aces.
Then the trophy ceremony started.
When the New York Liberty were set to receive their Commissioner’s Cup trophy, the arena turned. Engelbert was met with a chorus of boos so loud that one Liberty fan wrote on X: “The boos were so loud in the arena we couldn’t hear Cathy at all in person,” adding “lol.”
Engelbert did not acknowledge the crowd. She focused on presenting Breanna Stewart with her MVP trophy, then quickly handed the mic off and retreated from center court.
The timing landed in the middle of a worsening backlash tied to Caitlin Clark.
Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas—who was criticized for a hard foul on Clark during a game against the Indiana Fever—has said she has been targeted with racist fan abuse and threats. She said her families are being threatened and that people are sending racial slurs. Thomas, who is Black, also told reporters Tuesday: “Our families are being threatened,” adding: “Kids are being threatened. People are being threatened. People are sending racial slurs and all types of stuff.”.
Thomas drew a sharp line between online mocking and something far darker. “There’s a difference between trolling and there’s a difference between hatred,” she said. “The hatred that we’re experiencing over a play that was. honestly. a complete accident. no one even knew what happened. it’s just unfortunate.”.
She also pointed directly at the league leadership. “The league has to do better in this instance,” Thomas said. She said she “didn’t even know” she was suspended until “10 minutes before it was being put on social media,” and she added: “We still have yet to hear anything from Cathy.”
“It’s unfortunate when our lives are being threatened,” Thomas continued, describing the way the incident was being framed. “Just the whole narrative that’s being painted out there,” she said. “It’s unfortunate that it’s come to this over basketball.”
The controversy that ignited the latest wave of criticism began on Wednesday in Indianapolis. when Phoenix won and Clark ended up on the bottom of a pileup while scrambling for a loose ball. Thomas’s balled right hand came down on Clark, who winced in pain. Clark remained in the game at first, before leaving later after aggravating a back injury.
Even though Thomas was not whistled for a foul at the time—something that drew ire from Fever fans—she was later suspended as the uproar grew. After missing Saturday’s game in Toronto. the veteran Thomas returned to practice and told reporters she believes she’s become the target of racial abuse over what she described as an honest mistake.
Engelbert, for her part, issued a statement on Tuesday as the Liberty were winning the Commissioner’s Cup tournament. “The WNBA vehemently condemns any and all forms of hate,” Engelbert said. “The safety and well-being of everyone in our community is always the league’s top priority.”
Engelbert added: “We are aware of Alyssa Thomas’ comments. and what she and her teammates have experienced is completely unacceptable and not representative of the WNBA community. The league and our security team have been in contact with the Phoenix Mercury organization and remain committed to protecting all players.”.
But Thomas’s public criticism placed Engelbert’s response under a spotlight that didn’t turn off for the duration of the championship night. According to information described by ESPN’s Alexa Philippou. Engelbert and Thomas exchanged text messages last week. and Engelbert was said to have directed league security to reach out to Phoenix security regarding threats.
On the court’s emotional aftershocks, the fight over who was being targeted spread beyond Thomas.
Since Wednesday’s incident. Fever teammate Sophie Cunningham has accused Mercury players of being disliked—both across the league and inside their own organization. On her podcast, Cunningham said: “You know what’s funny, though?. I know people in [the Mercury’s] organization that [say]. like. nobody likes their team this year. ” adding: “They say that they’re the unfriendliest group. So, we’re not the only ones who feel that way. Internal people feel that way, too.”.
As the league wrapped up its Commissioner’s Cup final in Brooklyn, fans continued to argue over whether Clark was being treated fairly after the foul.
Social media erupted after Wednesday’s play. including reaction among conservatives who believed Clark is facing racist discrimination for being white. Podcaster and fired BuzzFeed reporter Benny Johnson wrote on X. referring to African-American man George Floyd. whose 2020 murder in Minneapolis sparked nationwide protests: “This is our George Floyd.” One of Johnson’s followers responded: “Charge that girl with assault. attempted murder and hate crime.”.
Conservative blogger David Burke shared an AI-doctored clip that he said exaggerated the violence and distorted Thomas’ appearance. He also linked the incident to Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin. writing about the neck compression carried out when Chauvin knelt on Floyd’s throat. and adding: “I seem to recall 1000’s of hours of media focus about the pressure applied to George Floyd’s neck and how vulnerable the human neck is to injury.”.
Others tied the online backlash to personal connections, linking the foul to Clark’s fiancée and teammate DeWanna Bonner. Outkick.com’s Jon Root wrote on X: “Alyssa Thomas and her lesbian lover DeWanna Bonner hate Clark.” Another X user said: “They hate her because she’s white and straight. ” describing Clark.
Back at Barclays Center. the boos made clear that. for many fans. the controversy hadn’t stayed inside Wednesday’s play. It followed the trophy ceremony straight into Tuesday night—right where Engelbert had appeared moments earlier. posing beside Tom Brady before the arena turned its attention to her. and to what players say is failing them when the backlash turns personal.
WNBA Cathy Engelbert Tom Brady New York Liberty Las Vegas Aces Commissioner's Cup Caitlin Clark Alyssa Thomas Breanna Stewart Sophie Cunningham Indiana Fever Phoenix Mercury racist abuse threats