The WNBA isn’t letting Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas go unpunished for her incident with Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark on Wednesday night.
On Thursday, the league announced it assessed Thomas a flagrant 2 and suspended her for one game after she appeared to shove a fist into Clark’s throat in the second quarter of a 111-109 Phoenix win at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. Surprisingly, no foul was called on the play, and the officials opted not to review it.
During a postgame news conference, Fever head coach Stephanie White skewered the officiating crew for not doing more to protect Clark.
What did Stephanie White say about Alyssa Thomas-Caitlin Clark play?
“I just saw it. I’m not sure it had any impact on her health or not, but it was egregious,” White said of Clark, who exited Wednesday’s game with a back issue. “The fact that it was a no-call. I heard about it at halftime. I brought it to the attention of the officials at halftime, yet we still had 11 fouls in the fourth quarter to their two? They still shot 24 free throws in the second half?
“Number one, you gotta call it. It’s absolutely egregious and utterly disrespectful. And then number two, you’re coming in here aware of what happened two nights ago, and that s— still happens. Absolutely unacceptable. Absolutely unacceptable,” White continued when referring to a previous tussle with the teams.