SouthernWorldwide.com – Phoenix Mercury All-Star Alyssa Thomas has become the latest figure to draw the ire of Caitlin Clark fans following an incident during a game on Wednesday night where she was seen punching Clark in the throat.
The punch was not initially called by the referees during the live game. However, both fans and the WNBA league office took notice.
A slow-motion video clip of the punch quickly went viral on social media. This further fueled the ongoing debate surrounding the physical treatment of Clark by opposing players, a contentious issue that has persisted since Clark’s rookie season in 2024.
Less than 24 hours after the incident, the WNBA imposed a one-game suspension on Thomas. The league classified the action as “reckless” and a “non-basketball act.”
The incident has prompted questions about the identity of the player involved in the punch.
In a 2019 interview with Nike PLAYlist, Thomas was asked about the sport she might have pursued professionally if not basketball.
“Either boxing or MMA,” Thomas stated.
She also revealed her alternative career aspiration if she hadn’t become a professional athlete.
“Since I was a kid, I loved going to the dentist. I just was fascinated with teeth and still am. I’m passionate about that whole process of cleaning,” Thomas shared, according to a profile on WNBA.com.
According to WNBA records, Thomas first started playing basketball at the age of five, encouraged by her mother, Tina.
Thomas recalled her initial reaction to starting the sport.
“I threw myself all down the stairs, down the hallway,” Thomas said, with her mom adding, “She just threw an absolute hissy fit.”
Thomas’ parents maintained a competitive environment even during casual games like “Candyland” as she was growing up.
“We weren’t the parents that were just going to let you win,” Tina explained, as reported by the WNBA.
“In life, you have to fight, and how are you going to fight if you don’t teach your kids to fight? So if she fell over, ‘get up, you’re alright,’ and if she didn’t get up, you knew something was wrong.”
This parenting approach is reminiscent of the one employed by the father of New York Yankees legend Derek Jeter, who famously ensured Jeter never won at board or card games during his childhood to foster early competitiveness.
Thomas further commented that her mother was particularly rigorous, which contributed to her development of toughness.
“By no means was it easy, and it’s still not easy,” Thomas remarked.
Currently, Thomas is playing basketball despite having torn labrums in both of her shoulders.
These injuries are so severe that she lacks the necessary structural integrity to lift her arms and execute a conventional, fluid jump shot. Consequently, she resorts to a stiff, one-handed pushing motion from her chest to get the ball towards the basket.
Due to her limitations in outside shooting, Thomas has adapted by heavily relying on her physical strength. She drives directly into opposing defenses, enduring significant contact in the paint to score near the basket.
This aggressive, driving style necessitates her engaging in intense physical confrontations on almost every possession.
Despite these physical challenges and ongoing pain, this strategic adjustment has proven successful. She has evolved into a six-time All-Star, a three-time First-Team All-WNBA selection, an Olympic gold medalist, and is recognized as the WNBA’s leading player in triple-doubles.
The throat punch incident involving Clark has triggered a significant wave of criticism.
Indiana Fever Head Coach Stephanie White was particularly vocal, strongly condemning Thomas and the league’s officiating during her postgame press conference.
“We have a generational talent and a WNBA superstar who had two cheap shots right there that weren’t called,” White stated, directly referencing Thomas’s actions. “Absolutely unacceptable.”
White argued that Thomas frequently crosses the line between playing physical defense and inflicting dangerous, non-basketball-related contact.
“It’s absolutely egregious and utterly disrespectful,” White continued, expressing her frustration to reporters. “The fist in the throat is crazy. It’s crazy. It’s dangerous.”
On Thursday, Fever President Kelly Krauskopf issued a statement endorsing the decision to suspend Thomas.
“Player safety should be paramount in our league. We appreciate the WNBA’s review of last night’s incident and the action taken. Right now our focus is on Caitlin and our entire team as we prepare for Saturday,” Krauskopf wrote.
Former Minnesota Vikings captain and prominent conservative activist Jack Brewer suggested that the punch would be classified as a “hate crime” if the roles were reversed.
Other individuals have also voiced their outrage on social media platforms.
