The situation with Alyssa Thomas appears to have escalated, as she and her fiancée DeWanna Bonner claim to have received death threats in the wake of Thomas’ physical exchange with Caitlin Clark last week.
Though many netizens have been less than sympathetic towards Thomas over the past few days, WNBA reporter Seerat Sohi has apparently seen enough. In response to an Annie Costabile article covering Thomas’ ordeal, Sohi expressed her disappointment on social media.
“jesus. addresses being leaked. people finding their personal phone numbers. this is awful.”
This recent outrage towards Thomas can be traced back to the Mercury’s July 24 matchup against the Indiana Fever. In that game, Thomas appeared to ram her fist onto Clark as the Fever star lay on the floor.
No fouls were called in that sequence, which prompted Fever head coach Stephanie White to protest the referees’ inaction after the game (a 111-109 Mercury win). Despite the lack of a call in real time, the league retroactively called Thomas for a Flagrant Foul 2 and subjected her to a one-game suspension.
This, in turn, drew the ire of Thomas’ teammates and head coach. Nate Tibbetts, who is in his third season coaching the Mercury, criticized the WNBA for failing to conduct a thorough investigation prior to their decision to suspend his star player.
Thomas went on to serve her suspension over the weekend, but now, she’s made headlines again with her claims of receiving death threats.
“The WNBA Vehemently Condemns All Forms of Hate”: Commissioner Cathy Engelbert Releases Statement in Light of Alyssa Thomas’ Death Threat Claims
In response to Alyssa Thomas’ explosive claims, WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert released a statement to make the league’s stance clear.
“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. The league and our security team have been in contact with the Phoenix Mercury organization and remain committed to protecting all players.”
Interestingly, Bonner had told Annie Costabile of The Athletic that she hadn’t personally heard from Engelbert “in years.”
READ MORE:
“Stop Assaulting CC”: OutKick Reporter Rejects Alyssa Thomas’ Complaints Against Caitlin Clark Fans
“This League Is Embarrassing”: Fans React As Cathy Engelbert Speaks Out On Alyssa Thomas’ Statement
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