Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas has been suspended one game for a flagrant foul on Indiana Fever’s Caitlin Clark in the league. announced Thursday.
In the second quarter of the Mercury’s 111-109 win over the Fever on Wednesday, Thomas put his hand around Clark’s neck during a loose ball. He was not called for a foul during the game.
The league assessed Thomas on Thursday with a Flagrant Foul 2 penalty and gave him a single-game suspension for “recklessly making contact in the groin area” of Clark, who exited the game in the second half with a back injury.
After the loss, Indiana head coach Stephanie White criticised the league for failing to protect Clark.
White said, “We have a generational talent and a WNBA superstar who took two cheap shots that the officials didn’t call. Absolutely unacceptable.”
“We spent the entire offseason looking at umpiring, and I still say the one thing we keep asking for is consistency. [Clark] is not called the same way as everyone else. A fist in the throat is crazy. This type of behaviour is madness.”
This incident is not the first instance the league has upgraded a play involving Clark to a flagrant foul. During Clark’s rookie season, a foul was upgraded to a major after then-Chicago Sky guard Chennady Carter checked Clark over his shoulder. Clark’s supporters have decried her overly physical play since entering the WNBA in 2024.
“I think at this point I know I’m going to take some tough shots in the game and that’s what it is,” Clark said during his rookie season. “I’m trying not to let it bother me.”
Now in his third year, Clark is averaging a career-best 21.2 points per game for the Fever. He also averages 8.2 assists and 4.0 rebounds. After a sophomore campaign plagued by injuries, Clark has appeared in 17 of Indiana’s 18 games so far.
The Fever’s next game is Saturday against the Los Angeles Sparks.
Thomas will serve his suspension on the same day Phoenix plays Toronto Tempo.
