{"id":2841,"date":"2026-07-01T06:03:51","date_gmt":"2026-07-01T06:03:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tucsonmovingreport.com\/?p=2841"},"modified":"2026-07-01T06:03:51","modified_gmt":"2026-07-01T06:03:51","slug":"mercurys-thomas-says-she-has-received-online-abuse-following-suspension-for-caitlin-clark-incident","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tucsonmovingreport.com\/?p=2841","title":{"rendered":"Mercury\u2019s Thomas says she has received online abuse following suspension for Caitlin Clark incident"},"content":{"rendered":"
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PHOENIX (AP) \u2014<\/b> Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas said she has received death threats and been called racial slurs in the aftermath of her one-game suspension after she made contact with her fist to Caitlin Clark\u2019s throat in last week\u2019s matchup against Indiana.<\/p>\n

Read more Tucson transgender athlete speaks out after Supreme Court upholds ban<\/a><\/p>\n

Thomas also criticized WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert for not doing more to protect the league\u2019s players when she spoke with reporters on Tuesday at the team\u2019s practice facility.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s unfortunate that it\u2019s come to this over basketball,\u201d Thomas said. \u201cA lot of us \u2014 myself included \u2014 didn\u2019t even know the play took place until after the game. Now we\u2019re being painted as thugs. There\u2019s death threats out on us. It\u2019s really unacceptable. It\u2019s something that needs to change in this league and I\u2019m just really sick and tired of it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Engelbert released a statement Tuesday night.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe WNBA vehemently condemns any and all forms of hate. The safety and well-being of everyone in our community is always the league\u2019s top priority,\u201d Engelbert said. \u201cWe are aware of Alyssa Thomas\u2019 comments, and what she and her teammates have experienced is completely unacceptable and not representative of the WNBA community. The league and our security team have been in contact with the Phoenix Mercury organization and remain committed to protecting all players.\u201d<\/p>\n

Thomas called the play a \u201ccomplete accident,\u201d but said her main concern wasn\u2019t the suspension. The six-time All-Star said she didn\u2019t know she was being suspended until 10 minutes before it was released on social media.<\/p>\n

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Alyssa Thomas says the incident with Caitlin Clark “was a complete accident,” and “now we’re being painted as thugs and there’s death threats out on us.”<\/p>\n

Also says “as usual, she [Cathy Englbert] remains silent,” and that’s unfortunate when our lives are being threatened.” pic.twitter.com\/qBR4Tvi8sw<\/p>\n

\u2014 Nick King (@NickKingSports) June 30, 2026<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not even about the suspension,\u201d Thomas said. \u201cIf that\u2019s what they felt was necessary in that moment, then so be it. But I think there\u2019s a lot of other plays that you can say the same about. The biggest thing is about our safety. We\u2019re so concerned about the safety on the court, but time and time again, we\u2019re having people threaten our lives. Leaking addresses out there. Putting crazy pictures that have nothing to do with basketball.\u201d<\/p>\n

The play happened with 6:52 left in the second quarter in a game against Clark\u2019s Indiana Fever on Wednesday and was deemed to be a non-basketball act. The league gave Thomas a Flagrant Foul 2 penalty for it.<\/p>\n

No foul was called on the play by officials in the moment. The WNBA is allowed to review a game to reclassify a Flagrant foul or to classify as Flagrant any foul not called as such during a game.<\/p>\n

Read more Arizona ramps up defenses against New World screwworm threat with UofA grant<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cPeople are sending racial slurs and all types of stuff,\u201d Thomas said. \u201cThere\u2019s a difference between trolling and there\u2019s a difference between hatred. The hatred that we\u2019re experiencing over a play that, honestly, was a complete accident, no one even knew it happened. It\u2019s just unfortunate. The league has to do better in this instance.\u201d<\/p>\n

Thomas and Engelbert exchanged text messages last week to talk about the security issue, a person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press on Tuesday night. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the discussion. The person said that Engelbert immediately directed league security to get in touch with Phoenix security once she heard about the threats.<\/p>\n

Thomas added: \u201cWe still have yet to hear anything from Cathy (Engelbert),\u201d Thomas said. \u201cIt\u2019s no surprise. You could see what\u2019s being said on social media. Yeah \u2014 it\u2019s unfortunate, but as usual, she remains silent. That\u2019s unfortunate when our lives our being threatened.\u201d<\/p>\n

Thomas served her suspension on Saturday when the Mercury visited the Toronto Tempo.<\/p>\n

The Fever renewed their call for player safety in a statement on Thursday.<\/p>\n

The two teams had played a few days before the Thomas-Clark incident and there were six technical fouls called and one ejection. Clark picked up her fifth technical of the season in that game. The team petitioned the league to have it rescinded, but the WNBA confirmed that the technical will stand.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was egregious. The fact that it was a no-call \u2026 You got to call it,\u201d Fever coach Stephanie White said after the game. \u201cYou\u2019re coming in here aware of what happened two nights ago and that (expletive) still happens? Absolutely unacceptable.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Mercury and Fever play again on July 9 in Phoenix.<\/p>\n

See a spelling or grammatical error in our story? <\/i>Please click here to report it<\/i>.<\/i><\/p>\n

Do you have a photo or video of a breaking news story? Send <\/i>it to us here<\/i> with a brief description.<\/i><\/p>\n

Read more Crash causes road closure in Pima County<\/a><\/p>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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