The WNBA announced a one-game suspension for Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas after “recklessly making contact with her fist to the throat area" of Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark.
The play occurred during Wednesday night’s 111-109 Mercury victory.
The incident occurred with just under seven minutes to play in the second quarter. Clark collided with the Mercury’s Lexi Held as she drove the lane and fell to the floor. All of Held, DeWanna Bonner and Thomas attempted to get the ball from a prone Clark with Thomas pushing her fist into her throat. Upon getting back up, the six-time All-Star stepped over the downed Clark.
Because no foul was called on the play, the league retroactively classified it as a Flagrant 2 and a non-basketball act. Only a short time later, Clark was fouled by Valeriane Ayani with a closeout on a three-point attempt. It stood as a regular foul and was not upgraded to reckless. Clark would later leave the game early in the second half with back pain. She finished her night with 19 points and eight assists.
After the game, Fever coach Stephanie White was irate.
“We have a generational talent and WNBA superstar who had two cheap shots [against her] right there that weren’t called,” White said. “Absolutely unacceptable.”
Wednesday night’s game came only 48 hours after another intensely physical game between the two teams that saw an incident in the fourth quarter that turned hostile when Clark and Bonner, who played nine games for the Fever last season before asking for her release, got tangled up. In the aftermath, techs were issued to Clark, Bonner, Thomas, Myisha Hines-Allen and Sophie Cunningham. It was a second tech for Hines-Allen, who was ejected. The Fever won the game 86-77.
Thomas will now be unavailable for the Mercury’s Saturday game against the Toronto Tempo.
