Phoenix Mercury player Alyssa Thomas has been suspended by the WNBA for "recklessly making contact with her fist to the throat area of Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark." The incident occurred during a game on June 24, 2026, where the Phoenix Mercury defeated the Indiana Fever 111-109.
Following the league's announcement of the suspension on Thursday, Thomas received public support from her teammate, who posted on Threads, "It’s FREE AT until AT FREE!! standing with my bestie." The Associate Head Coach for the Phoenix Mercury, Kristi Toliver, also shared a message on her Instagram Story, accompanied by a photo of herself and Thomas. Toliver's post included the caption, "When they go low, we go high - Michelle Obama." This quote is from Michelle Obama's 2016 Democratic National Convention speech.
Another teammate, Dallas Wings forward DiJonai Carrington, who previously played with Thomas on the Connecticut Sun, has also voiced support for Thomas through reposts on her X account. Carrington questioned why Thomas's action did not result in an in-game ejection or foul, referencing a separate incident involving Sophie Cunningham and Jacy Sheldon. The league's suspension and upgrade of Thomas's foul to a Flagrant 2 occurred after a post-game review.
In a previous playoff series, Carrington and Thomas had accused Indiana Fever fans of making racial comments. Thomas stated in a post-game interview that she had "never experienced the racial comments from the Indiana Fever fanbase" in her 11-year career.
Clark has been a target of physical play since entering the league. Indiana Fever head coach Stephanie White announced on Friday that Clark would miss Saturday's game against the Los Angeles Sparks due to an injury sustained in the incident. This marks the latest in a series of physical encounters Clark has faced since joining the WNBA.