Phoenix Mercury head coach Nate Tibbetts expressed his disappointment with the WNBA's decision to suspend star player Alyssa Thomas for one game, calling the process "not a thorough investigation." The suspension stemmed from a play on June 24, 2026, where Thomas made contact with Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark's throat.
The WNBA reviewed the incident and assessed Thomas, a six-time All-Star, a Flagrant 2 foul, stating it was "recklessly making contact with her fist to the throat area" of Clark. Thomas missed the Mercury's game on Saturday. "The people in this league know who AT is," Tibbetts said, referring to Thomas. "She's a competitor, she's a winner, and she's tough. The one thing she is not is cheap."
Tibbetts stated that neither he nor Thomas were contacted by the league during the review process. Mercury teammate Kahleah Copper also voiced her dissatisfaction with how the situation was handled, expressing a wish that it had been "handled the right way" and that someone had checked on Thomas after the game.
Meanwhile, Fever coach Stephanie White had previously criticized the officiating during the game for not calling a foul on Thomas's play, describing it as "absolutely unacceptable." Sophie Cunningham, a teammate of Clark's, commented on her podcast that opponents appear to be intentionally targeting Clark, with insufficient action from the league and referees to protect her.