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When Alyssa Thomas put a fist to the throat of Caitlin Clark, she was not punished in the immediate aftermath.
She ultimately was given a one-game suspension and a Flagrant 2 foul after the WNBA conducted a review, but that apparently was almost not the case.
According to the Sports Business Journal, WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert was not planning on suspending Thomas but was ultimately convinced by NBA Commissioner Adam Silver.
Engelbert was reportedly worried that a suspension for a play that was not called on the court was too harsh a penalty. However, Silver said there was evidence of a flagrant foul and implored Engelbert to hand down the punishment.
The outlet reported that the league operated under usual protocols for potential flagrant fouls. However, it also said Engelbert does not want to show favoritism toward Clark because of her popularity while also trying to “appease players who believe they’ve been overshadowed by” her. On the flip side, the SBJ said Engelbert has not been to an Indiana Fever game since Clark was drafted.
The WNBA told SBJ that the report is “absolutely false” – neither league immediately responded to an email from Fox News Digital.
HOST CLAIMS WNBA COMMISSIONER CATHY ENGELBERT CANCELED INTERVIEW AS CAITLIN CLARK CONTROVERSY MOUNTS
Silver told reporters on Tuesday that they will “have ongoing discussions about what the future looks like” regarding Engelbert’s role in the WNBA.
“I think Cathy continues to do a strong job building that league,” Silver said, citing her “tremendous progress.”
Clark has fallen victim to numerous hard fouls and boastful trash talk while being the clear face of the league. The Thomas incident prompted Marlin Stutzman, R-Ind., to join a group of lawmakers to write a letter to Engelbert, saying she has a responsibility to ensure every player competes “in a safe and professional environment.”
The letter said “the face of your league” is subject to “repeated acts of unnecessary physical hostility and violence.” It concluded by urging the league to take stronger action.
“The league has an extraordinary opportunity to inspire the next generation of female athletes to pursue athletics, but that opportunity is undermined when its brightest stars are not adequately protected,” the letter reads. “Your fans deserve better, and so do the young girls who look to the WNBA as a model for excellence, sportsmanship, and opportunity.”
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Clark recently went after the WNBA, saying it needs to do a better job of protecting its players both on and off the court. Thomas said she received death threats after the foul.
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