Full Breakdown
Alyssa Thomas Suspended One Game After Throat Contact with Caitlin Clark
6/25/2026, 11:52:43 PM
Flagrant Foul and Suspension
The WNBA office upgraded a non-call from the June 24, 2026 Phoenix-Indiana game to a Flagrant 2 foul and issued a one-game suspension to Phoenix forward Alyssa Thomas for “recklessly making contact with her fist to the throat” of Indiana guard Caitlin Clark.
Timeline
June 24 (6:52 Q2): Thomas thrust a fist into Clark’s throat; no call. June 25: League review upgraded to Flagrant 2 and announced suspension. June 27: Thomas sits out vs. Toronto Tempo. July 9: Phoenix-Indiana rematch.
Key Figures & Groups
Alyssa Thomas – six-time All-Star, 34, averaging 14.7 pts, 8.4 ast, 6.6 reb; leads league in assists. Caitlin Clark – two-time All-Star, 24, averaging 21.2 pts, 8.2 ast, 4.0 reb. Stephanie White – Fever head coach.
On-the-Ground Play
During a loose-ball scramble, Clark fell after contact with Lexi Held. Thomas, DeWanna Bonner and Held converged; Thomas pressed a closed fist into Clark’s throat, rose, and stepped over her. No foul was called.
Data & Statistics
Phoenix won 111-109. Clark left in the third quarter with a back issue after 19 pts, eight assists. Thomas averages 8.4 assists per game, league-leading. A Flagrant 2 carries two flagrant points; four points trigger a suspension.
Official Statements & Responses
The WNBA said Thomas “recklessly” contacted Clark and “committed a non-basketball act,” invoking its authority to reclassify fouls. Fever president Kelly Krauskopf thanked the league for the action.
Criticism & Opposition
Coach White called the missed call “absolutely egregious and utterly disrespectful,” said Clark “is not called the same way as everybody else is called,” and called the throat contact “crazy” and “dangerous.”
Why It Matters / Impact
The incident adds to Clark’s series of “cheap shots” since 2024 that have spurred calls for stricter enforcement; the league’s prior upgrade of a Chennedy Carter shoulder check shows a pattern of post-game reviews. This case underscores debates over officiating consistency and player safety, removes a key playmaker from Phoenix, and may affect Clark’s availability and the league’s disciplinary credibility.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Reports differ on whether Clark’s back issue resulted from Thomas’s throat contact or a later foot-step. Some mention Thomas also kneeing Clark in the groin, a detail not uniformly confirmed.
Verbatim Quotes
- “It's absolutely egregious and utterly disrespectful.” — Stephanie White, Indiana Fever head coach
- “[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. ... When you have these things continue to happen time and time and time again, eventually it gets frustrating.” — Stephanie White, Indiana Fever head coach
- “deemed (Thomas) to have committed a non-basketball act” — WNBA office statement
- “we appreciate the WNBA's review of last night's incident and the action taken.” — Kelly Krauskopf, Indiana Fever president
What’s Next
Thomas will miss the June 27 game against Toronto Tempo; the Fever host the Los Angeles Sparks that night. Clark’s health status remains uncertain, and the July 9 rematch will test the league’s disciplinary impact.
