Suspended Alyssa Thomas blasts WNBA’s silence after Caitlin Clark foul, offers no accountability

Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas took aim at WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert after receiving a one-game suspension for a flagrant blow to the throat of Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark on Tuesday.

Thomas said he learned of the punishment before it was made public and accused Engelbert of abandoning the players by remaining silent in the face of the backlash.

He said: “To be honest I didn’t even know I had been suspended until 10 minutes before it was posted on social media. We haven’t heard from Cathy yet. It’s no surprise.”

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“You can see what’s being said on social media. Yes, it’s unfortunate, but it remains silent as usual, and that’s unfortunate when our lives are under threat.”

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Thomas’ comments came just days after the WNBA suspended her for the ugly incident involving Clark; It was a play that the league office determined required additional discipline.

The WNBA suspended Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas for a Flagrant 2 foul on Indiana Fever superstar Caitlin Clark. (Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

Thomas continued: “You know, it’s crazy to get the play, to get suspended, to have the whole story painted there. It’s unfortunate that it’s gotten to this point because of basketball. A lot of us, myself included, didn’t even know the play was being played until after the end of the game, and now we’re being painted as thugs.”

“And we’ve been getting death threats coming at us, so it’s really unacceptable. This is something that needs to change in the league and I’m really sick and tired of it.”

It is difficult to ignore the lack of responsibility in Thomas’ words.

Instead of acknowledging the reckless play that led to his suspension, Thomas quickly shifted the focus to himself, depicting the punishment given to him rather than the hit against Clark as the real injustice. It’s an intriguing defense from one of the WNBA’s most physical players, who has long built her reputation on imposing her will and delivering punishing touches.

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Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark is seen after falling in the lane while Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas was tracking the ball on June 24, 2026 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Grace Smith/IndyStar/USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)

The comments also underscore the controversy over how Clark was recruited and protected.

For months, Clark was subjected to harsh fouls, excessive contact and increasingly dangerous plays, while the league struggled to consistently respond to physical plays involving the player responsible for driving its biggest television audience, attendance figures and popularity.

But when one of the veteran players finally receives meaningful discipline, the conversation suddenly shifts from Clark’s safety to sympathy for the player who committed the foul.

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None of this excuses real threats. However, these allegations do not change why Thomas was suspended in the first place.

Clark, meanwhile, continues to do what she has done throughout her career… Stand up, say little publicly, and continue to produce despite being the league’s top target, generating record television ratings, attendance and unprecedented interest in the WNBA while subjecting herself to the kind of physical treatment that few superstars in professional sports can be expected to endure.

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Thomas had every opportunity to acknowledge that the game requires discipline.

Instead, he chose to portray himself as the victim.

Send us your thoughts: alejandro.avila@outkick.com Follow on /x: @alejandroaveela