NEW YORK — The WNBA suspended Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas for one game on June 25, 2026. The suspension followed contact Thomas made with her fist to Caitlin Clark's throat during a game on June 24, 2026.

The league classified the incident as a Flagrant Foul 2 penalty. The WNBA stated that Thomas recklessly made contact and committed a non-basketball act. Game officials did not call a foul during the play.

The incident occurred with 6:52 remaining in the second quarter of the game between the Phoenix Mercury and the Indiana Fever. The Mercury defeated the Fever 111-109 in the game. Thomas will serve her suspension on June 27, 2026, when the Mercury play the Toronto Tempo.

Indiana Fever head coach Stephanie White spoke about the incident after the game. "It was egregious. The fact that it was a no-call … You got to call it," White said. She also stated, "Absolutely unacceptable."

"Absolutely disrespectful. We spent all offseason looking at officiating, and I still say the one thing 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.

Clark finished the game with 19 points and eight assists in 20 minutes of play before leaving in the third quarter due to a back issue. The Indiana Fever issued a statement on June 25, 2026, renewing their call for player safety. Indiana Fever team president Kelly Krauskopf stated, "Player safety should be paramount in our league." The Indiana Fever are scheduled to play the Los Angeles Sparks on June 27, 2026. The WNBA upgraded a foul by Marina Mabrey to a Flagrant 2 after a game during the previous season.

Why It Matters

The suspension of a player for a non-basketball act indicates the league's intervention in on-court conduct that was not penalized during a game. The WNBA's classification of the incident as a Flagrant Foul 2 penalty and its stated reason of reckless contact underscores the league's enforcement of player conduct rules. This action follows comments from the Indiana Fever's coach and team president regarding player safety and officiating consistency.