Caitlin Clark takes hard foul from Alyssa Thomas during Fever-Mercury game

Yahoo Sports2 min read • Latest: Jun 25, 2026, 1:35 AM

Last updated Jun 25, 2026

Caitlin Clark takes hard foul from Alyssa Thomas during Fever-Mercury game
Summary

In a WNBA matchup on June 24, Caitlin Clark of the Indiana Fever endured a controversial foul from Alyssa Thomas of the Phoenix Mercury at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Thomas’s actions, including pressing her fist against Clark’s neck, went unpenalized by referees, sparking significant backlash from fans regarding officiating standards. This incident escalates ongoing tensions between the two teams following a prior game that resulted in multiple technical fouls. After Monday's contest, which ended in an 86-77 victory for the Fever, Clark expressed frustration over her latest technical foul for clapping. The incident raises concerns around player safety and the accountability of officiating in the league.

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By the Numbers
  • Caitlin Clark faces a hard foul from Alyssa Thomas in WNBA game.
  • The incident occurred during the Fever vs. Mercury matchup in Indianapolis.
  • Referees did not call the foul, igniting fan outrage over officiating.
  • Tensions were high between the teams after a previous game with technical fouls.
  • Clark scored a game-high 24 points in Indiana's win over Phoenix.
Latest Updates
  • 12:49 AMYahoo SportsWNBA suspends Alyssa Thomas for hitting Caitlin Clark's throat
  • 7:37 PMYahoo SportsWNBA suspends Alyssa Thomas amid Caitlin Clark ‘throat punch’ controversy
  • 7:37 PMYahoo SportsWNBA officially rules on Alyssa Thomas’s controversial foul on Caitlin Clark
  • 1:35 AMYahoo SportsWNBA fans in uproar after Caitlin Clark takes Alyssa Thomas’ fist to throat in Fever-Mercury game
What they're saying
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The WNBA referees have missed a pretty bad foul from Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas on Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark on Wednesday evening at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. During the first half of their latest matchup, Thomas got away with pressing…

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The WNBA has responded to the backlash from a Wednesday night incident between Phoenix Mercury veteran Alyssa Thomas and Indiana Fever superstar Caitlin Clark. Thomas and Clark tangled it up on the court, with Thomas pushing her closed fist into…

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On Wednesday night, the Indiana Fever head coach Stephanie White admonished officials for not blowing the whistle on a “cheap shot” by Alyssa Thomas on Caitlin Clark. One day later, the WNBA has officially suspended Thomas.

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