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Alyssa Thomas Suspended for Throat Strike on Clark

6/25/2026

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Summary

Thomas Suspended

Alyssa Thomas received a Flagrant 2 foul and a one-game suspension for striking Caitlin Clark’s throat.
The contact happened with 6:52 left in the quarter of Phoenix’s 111-109 win in Indianapolis, while officials missed the foul live.
The league ruled it a non-basketball act, imposing the suspension to be served on June 27 against Toronto Tempo, while Clark left in the third quarter injured after 19 points and eight assists.

Summary

Thomas Out

The Phoenix Mercury will face the Toronto Tempo on June 27 without Alyssa Thomas, a 13-year WNBA veteran, who was traded from the Connecticut Sun before the 2025 season.
Thomas leads the league with 8.4 assists per game, having previously led in rebounds (2023) and steals (2020).
His aggressive play caused a 2022 playoff incident that gave Napheesa Collier, a WNBA player, three torn ankle ligaments.

History

Historical Context

On Nov 19 2004 the Pacers-Pistons game at the Palace erupted into the “Malice at the Palace,” leading the NBA to suspend Ron Artest for 86 games, the longest in league history, and to tighten security. That precedent shaped the July 22 2008 WNBA brawl at the same arena, dubbed “Malice at the Palace II.”

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Thomas Suspended

Alyssa Thomas received a Flagrant 2 foul and a one-game suspension for striking Caitlin Clark’s throat.
The contact happened with 6:52 left in the quarter of Phoenix’s 111-109 win in Indianapolis, while officials missed the foul live.
The league ruled it a non-basketball act, imposing the suspension to be served on June 27 against Toronto Tempo, while Clark left in the third quarter injured after 19 points and eight assists.

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