Mercury's Thomas suspended for shot on Clark
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- Alyssa Thomas was suspended one game by the WNBA for making fist contact with Caitlin Clark's throat during Wednesday's Mercury-Fever game, with 6:52 left in the second quarter.
- The WNBA classified the play as a Flagrant Foul 2 and a non-basketball act after post-game review — no foul was called on the floor during the game, and the league is permitted to reclassify fouls not called during play.
- Thomas will serve her suspension Saturday when the Mercury visit the Toronto Tempo.
- Fever coach Stephanie White called the no-call "egregious" and "absolutely unacceptable," telling reporters officials should have been aware of the prior physical history between the teams.
- This is the second time the WNBA has upgraded a foul against Clark on post-game review — last season, the league reclassified a Marina Mabrey technical against Indiana as a Flagrant 2.
- Monday's first meeting between the teams featured six technical fouls, one ejection, and a fifth technical on Clark that the WNBA confirmed would stand after the Fever petitioned to rescind it.
- The Mercury won Wednesday 111-109; Clark exited in the third quarter with a back issue and finished with 19 points and 8 assists in 20 minutes.
Why it matters: The WNBA's post-game upgrade — its second in two seasons targeting a foul against Clark — puts the league on record that the officiating on the floor missed a violent act, while White's public criticism underscores how the Monday-Wednesday back-to-back has strained the Fever-Mercury matchup into a league-office matter.
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