Alyssa Thomas is speaking out this week on the aftermath of her incident with Caitlin Clark.
The Phoenix Mercury forward Thomas revealed in an interview with ESPN on Tuesday that she has been getting death threats and racial slurs in the wake of her ugly in-game incident with the Indiana Fever star Clark earlier this month. Thomas also called out WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert for failing to speak out about the treatment that she had been getting.
“It’s unfortunate that it’s come to this over basketball,” Thomas said. “A lot of us — myself included — didn’t even know the play took place until after the game. Now we’re being painted as thugs. There’s death threats out on us. It’s really unacceptable. It’s something that needs to change in this league, and I’m just really sick and tired of it.
“People are sending racial slurs and all types of stuff,” added Thomas. “There’s a difference between trolling and there’s a difference between hatred. The hatred that we’re experiencing over a play that, honestly, was a complete accident, no one even knew it happened. It’s just unfortunate. The league has to do better in this instance. We still have yet to hear anything from Cathy. It’s no surprise. You could see what’s being said on social media. Yeah, it’s unfortunate, but as usual, she remains silent. That’s unfortunate when our lives our being threatened.”
Engelbert did ultimately issue a public statement openly condeming the “hate” towards Thomas later in the day on Tuesday. You can read Engelbert’s statement here.
A statement from Cathy Engelbert:
— Alexa Philippou (@alexaphilippou) June 30, 2026
“The WNBA vehemently condemns any and all forms of hate. The safety and well-being of everyone in our community is always the league’s top priority. We are aware of Alyssa Thomas’ comments, and what she and her teammates have experienced is…
Thomas, a six-time WNBA All-Star who has played in the league since 2014, sparked backlash during her team’s June 24 matchup against Clark and the Fever. In the second quarter at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Ind., Clark lost possession of the ball, and Thomas made contact with Clark’s throat while Clark was down on the ground in a prone position (see the video here).
While no foul was called on the spot, the WNBA retroactively upgraded the play to a flagrant 2 foul on Thomas, resulting in Thomas being given a one-game suspension. Thomas served the suspension over the weekend and is now back in action for the Mercury, who face off against Clark and the Fever again on July 9 in Phoenix.
