Both fighters were on the floor when Thomas shoved his fist into Clark’s throat, then got up and straddled her.
Published June 25, 2026
Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas received two aggravated foul penalties and a one-game suspension for “recklessly making contact with her fist to the throat” of Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark, the WNBA announced.
The incident occurred Wednesday with 6:52 left in the second quarter of the Mercury’s 111-109 win over host Indiana. No foul was called.
Thomas will serve his suspension when Phoenix visits Toronto Tempo on Saturday.
The WNBA office said it has the option to review games and “classify as egregious fouls that did not receive such a call during the game.”
In this instance, Clark drove into the lane and fell sideways after colliding with Phoenix defender Lexi Held. In the ensuing scramble for the ball, Thomas shoved his fist into Clark’s throat before getting up and stepping over him.
Fever coach Stephanie White was upset after the game that Thomas wasn’t called for a foul.
“First of all, you should say no to this. This is totally awful and totally disrespectful,” White said.
The two teams had played a tough game two nights earlier, with six total technical fouls called in Indiana’s 86-77 win.
Thomas, 34, is a six-time All-Star. She is in her second season with the Mercury after playing 11 seasons with the Connecticut Sun.
Thomas is averaging 14.7 points, 8.4 assists and 6.6 rebounds in 18 games this season.
Clark left Wednesday’s game with 5 minutes and 15 seconds left in the third quarter due to back pain.
Clark, 24, is averaging a career-high 21.2 points, 8.2 assists and 4.0 rebounds in 17 games this season. She is a two-time All-Star.
The Fever will host the Los Angeles Sparks on Saturday.
