Phoenix Mercury star Alyssa Thomas has received death threats since her incident with Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark.
Since the two teams played on June 24, Thomas and the Mercury have been thrust into the national spotlight after Thomas landed on Clark, pushed her fist into Clark’s throat, then stepped over her.
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No foul was called during the play, but the WNBA retroactively suspended Thomas and said she “recklessly” made contact with Clark and “committed a non-basketball act.”
According to Thomas, the play was a “complete accident” and the team didn’t realize she put her fist to Clark’s throat until after the game when fans shared clips of the incident. The Fever players also didn’t see the play happen in real time.
“It’s unfortunate that it’s come to this over basketball,” Thomas said. “Now, we’re painted as thugs and there’s death threats out on us. It’s really unacceptable and needs to change in this league. I’m sick and tired of it.”
Thomas reiterated coach Nate Tibbetts’ earlier comments that the WNBA didn’t reach out during the evaluation process. She didn’t know she was suspended until 10 minutes before the league posted the news on social media and has yet to hear from the league’s commissioner, Cathy Engelbert, about the situation.
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“It’s no surprise. You can see what’s being said on social media and it’s unfortunate, but as usual, she remains silent,” Thomas said. “It’s unfortunate when our lives are being threatened.”
Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas (25) goes up for a basket against Indiana Fever guard Lexie Hull (10) and Indiana Fever center Aliyah Boston (7) on June 24, 2026, during the second half of a game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
In 2025, the WNBA launched “No Space for Hate,” a multi-dimensional platform designed to stop hate and promote respect across all WNBA spaces.
However, Thomas doesn’t think the league’s platform has been effective as players’ addresses are being leaked, and AI-generated videos and photos have been shared on social media.
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“We’re so concerned about the safety on the court but time and time again, we’re having people threatening our lives,” Thomas said. “At some point, the league needs to (take) a stand on it. They came out with ‘No hate speech,’ but what is that going to do? … It’s time for them to have our backs.”
This wasn’t the first incident between Thomas and the Fever, as she previously dealt with attacks while on the Connecticut Sun during their 2024 playoff series against Indiana. But she said the extent of the attacks has been greater in 2026, with players’ kids and families being threatened.
“There’s a difference between trolling and there’s a difference between hatred,” Thomas said. “The hatred that we’re experiencing over a play that honestly was a complete accident, and no one even knew what happened. It’s unfortunate. The league has to do better in this instance.”
Reach the reporter or send tips for stories at jenna.ortiz@arizonarepublic.com, as well as @jennarortiz on X.
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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Mercury’s Alyssa Thomas slams WNBA’s silence on Caitlin Clark incident
