The Phoenix Mercury have removed a social media post that appeared to mock WNBA star Caitlin Clark shortly after she sustained an injury during a game. The post, which depicted a player on the court and asked "De-wanna piece of this?!??", was created by Mercury social media staff to celebrate their win over the Indiana Fever.
The graphic featured a player in a No. 24 jersey, which the team intended to be a reference to veteran Mercury player DeWanna Bonner, who is engaged to teammate Alyssa Thomas. According to USA Today, the doodle was meant to capture a moment when Bonner was fouled while hitting a shot. The caption included a play on Bonner's name, "De-wanna...".
However, some fans misinterpreted the post, believing it was a reference to Clark, who wears No. 22, and had been the recipient of a hard foul from Thomas earlier in the game. Thomas punched Clark in the throat while they were scrambling for a loose ball. Although no foul was initially called on the play, Thomas has since received a suspension from the league following a review. Clark left that game due to a back injury.
Online reactions from Clark's supporters were swift, leading the Mercury to take down the post to avoid further confusion, a person familiar with the situation told USA Today. Phoenix social media has been creating doodles to reference in-game moments since last season.
In a separate social media post, Mercury associate head coach Kristi Toliver appeared to acknowledge the incident involving Clark. She shared a quote from Michelle Obama on Instagram, captioning a photo of Thomas with the words: "When they go low, we go high."
The foul on Clark has drawn significant attention and criticism. Clark's coach, Stephanie White, described the foul as "egregious" and "disrespectful" that a penalty was not called at the time. Social media commentary included strong reactions, with some users drawing comparisons to other controversial incidents and expressing concern over player safety in the league.
Clark is expected to miss the Fever's upcoming game against the Los Angeles Sparks on Saturday. In her third season, Clark is averaging 21.2 points, 8.2 assists, and four rebounds per game, having reduced her turnovers compared to her rookie season in 2024.