INDIANAPOLIS — The conversation surrounding the Phoenix Mercury’s Alyssa Thomas and the Indiana Fever’s Caitlin Clark hasn’t gone away, and now the Fever star is speaking out about the aftermath of the hard foul that has dominated headlines.
Jun 22, 2026; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) dribbles the ball while Phoenix Mercury guard Shay Ciezki (5) defends in the second half at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images
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The play came during Phoenix and Indiana’s June 24 game, where both players were involved in a loose-ball play in which Thomas’ fist made contact with Clark’s throat. Although officials did not assess a flagrant foul in real time, the WNBA reviewed the play afterward, upgraded it to a Flagrant Foul 2 and suspended the Mercury forward for one game.
Clark agreed with the league’s assessment of the play itself, saying it met the standard for a flagrant foul while also pointing to the broader issue of officiating and player safety.
“I did think it was a flagrant foul,” Clark said. “I think overall the league just has to do better … protecting the people in this league.”
While Clark agreed with the ruling, she was more concerned with everything that followed.
Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas (25) attempts to strip the ball from Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) on Monday, June 22, 2026, during the game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. The Indiana Fever defeated the Phoenix Mercury, 86-77.
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In the days after the incident, Thomas became the target of online harassment and personal attacks. The backlash wasn’t limited to Thomas. According to The Athletic’s Annie Costabile, Mercury guard DeWanna Bonner also received threats against herself and her family and sent them to Phoenix police.
“The harassment, the hate, none of that is okay,” Clark said. “That goes for the opposing team we play. That goes for my teammates, that goes for my coaches. There should never be a question of character. I’ve always stood up here and said that, and that’s how I was raised. None of that is okay, and I don’t want anybody to ever experience that.”
Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas (25) scrambles to get up over Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) on Wednesday, June 24, 2026, during a game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. The Phoenix Mercury defeated the Indiana Fever, 111-109. © Grace Smith/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
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Clark said those reactions are exactly the type of discourse she believes is hurting the WNBA, arguing the attention has drifted away from the basketball itself and the talent across the league.
She said conversations about whether a play deserved a flagrant foul are part of the game, but allowing the narrative to evolve into personal attacks is “a real disservice” to the league.
“It’s a disservice to my team, but it’s also a disservice to the other teams in this league and other players in this league,” Clark said. “There’s so much amazing talent and there are so many amazing players that are playing at an incredibly high rate… I think it’s all of our jobs to help refocus the narratives a lot of the time, and we can be better at that. I think it will help our game grow a lot more.”
The Fever star made it clear that accountability for the play and condemnation of the reaction are not mutually exclusive.
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The foul deserved discipline, but the hate that followed is the real disservice — not only to the Fever and the Mercury, but to a league she believes deserves to be defined by its elite level of talent.
