Caitlin Clark has remained at the center of the WNBA conversation this season, though this year, more than ever, things have been magnified. After Phoenix Mercury star Alyssa Thomas made contact with her first to Clark’s throat, leading to a one-game suspension, reports surfaced that WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert initially leaned toward not handing down any discipline for the play. The same report, from Sports Business Journal’s Tom Friend, cited that Adam Silver stepped in, which helped lead to the one-game suspension.
“Sources familiar with the situation said Engelbert initially believed during the evaluation process that — because no foul was called on the court against Thomas — a follow-up suspension seemed too steep of a discipline,” Friend wrote. “Meanwhile, those same sources said Silver believed there was clear evidence of a flagrant foul, that he felt badly for Clark and told Engelbert she had to act.
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“A source close to Engelbert said league ref ops and basketball ops personnel commonly make recommendations after potential flagrant foul calls, and that’s what happened with the Thomas decision. Other sources close to Engelbert have said she is an unenviable position — trying not to show favoritism toward the uber-popular Clark while also trying to appease players who believe they’ve been overshadowed by Clark. The death threats against Thomas, post-incident, are an example of what other WNBA players are dealing with.”
Now, adding to an already interesting situation, Silver spoke publicly about Clark at the recent CNBC Summit.
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Adam Silver’s comments about Caitlin Clark headline issues WNBA’s Cathy Engelbert must fix
Jun 18, 2026; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) in the first half against the Atlanta Dream at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images
Less than one month after the initial report on Silver’s involvement in the one-game suspension for Thomas, the NBA.commissioner was asked by Andrew Ross Sorkin about the situation and his involvement in the decision. He took things a step further by discussing the issues surrounding Clark more broadly.
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“I think that ultimately the issues around Caitlin Clark. Are not largely about officiating, and that particular incident is not about whether a foul should have been called at the time in the game or whether that was ultimately a flagrant on review,” Silver said.
“And I have come to know Caitlin really well. She’s an incredible player and also an incredible person. And she wants to focus on being the best player she can. And she’s become a bit of a political football in this country, and I think it’s incredibly unfair to her. I don’t think that issue is ultimately about officiating. It’s sort of — it’s become political ping-pong with her. And she’s a young woman who’s trying to improve her game [and] focus on being the best player as she can.”
Silver went on to praise the WNBA for its overall talent and for turning a corner. He also added that Clark “brought an entirely new audience.” He did add that WNBA officiating needs to improve.
“There’s enormous talent in this league. But as I said, this — yes, like, do we need to improve WNBA officiating? No doubt about it. But my day of job is getting complaints about NBA officiating. So, we have lots to work on,” Silver said.
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These comments align with what many WNBA fans believe and have likely thought at some point during the current season and in previous years. Silver is addressing what Engelbert needs to take aim at and should have a focus on. However, pairing it with the initial SBJ report, which also added that sources have said, “Engelbert has gone overboard not to prioritize the Fever star.”
Whatever lingering issues involving Clark in the WNBA, including with players, need to be resolved in one way or another. And it’s not on Silver to fix that; it’s not even entirely on the players to just instantly change how they feel, but it lands on Engelbert. Running a league is undeniably a brutally tough task, one that we likely can’t even begin to understand, but this is part of the job, and it shouldn’t be Silver discussing Clark and the WNBA’s issues; it should be the commissioner.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: Adam Silver’s blunt Caitlin Clark comments leave WNBA boss Cathy Engelbert in the hot seat
