Mercury's Thomas suspended for shot on Clark
Key takeaways
- The incident, in which the league said Thomas "committed a non-basketball act," happened with 6:52 remaining in the second quarter of the Mercury's 111-109 win over the Fever on Wednesday.
- After Clark drove to the lane, she tumbled onto her side after making contact with defender Lexi Held.
- Fever coach Stephanie White told reporters that the game officials said they did not see what Thomas did.
Why this matters: a sports story that could shift standings, legacies, or fan conversations.
Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas has received a flagrant foul 2 penalty and a one-game suspension for "recklessly making contact with her fist to the throat area" of Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark, the WNBA announced Thursday.
The incident, in which the league said Thomas "committed a non-basketball act," happened with 6:52 remaining in the second quarter of the Mercury's 111-109 win over the Fever on Wednesday.
After Clark drove to the lane, she tumbled onto her side after making contact with defender Lexi Held. Held, Thomas and DeWanna Bonner collapsed onto Clark as they scrambled for the ball. As they tried to recover it, Thomas appeared to thrust her fist into Clark's neck. She then got up and stepped over Clark.