Phoenix Mercury’s Alyssa Thomas put her fist on Indiana Fever’s Caitlin Clark’s neck when both fought for the ball on the floor last week. The altercation was deemed a flagrant foul 2 for which Thomas was issued a one-game suspension. Many believed that the punishment should’ve been severe. Meanwhile, others thought that the contact was accidental and did not deserve any ban.
Fans, coaches, and analysts have talked about the incident. However, neither of the two involved had made a comment, until now. Thomas broke her silence during the Mercury’s media availability on Tuesday.
“I’m crazy. Playing the game, being suspended. Just the whole narrative that’s been painted out there. It’s unfortunate that it’s come to this over basketball. A lot of us, myself included, didn’t even know the play took until after the game. And now, we’re being painted as thugs,” Thomas said.
“There are death threats out on us. So, it’s really unacceptable. It’s something that needs to chance in this league, and I am just really super tired of it,” she continued.
She has served her one-game suspension when the Mercury faced the Toronto Tempo on Saturday. Kahleah Copper’s 27 points led Phoenix to a 89-80 win.
Alyssa Thomas calls out Cathy Engelbert’s silence
After talking about the unacceptable behavior from social media, Thomas also talked about her suspension. She said that she was unaware of the suspension and was only informed just 10 minutes before it got posted on social media.
“We still have yet to hear anything from Cathy [Engelbert]. It’s no surprise. You can see what’s being said on social media. It’s unfortunate, and as usual, she remains silent, and that’s unfortunate when our lives are being threatened,” she said.
After Thomas’ asked for Cathy Engelbert’s involvement, there was a response from the WNBA commissioner.
“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 completely unacceptable and not representative of the WNBA community, Engelbert said.
She also ensured that the league as well as their security team have been in contact with the Phoenix organization. She reiterated that the WNBA remains committed to protecting all the players.
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