WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert put out a statement just two hours after professional basketball player Alyssa Thomas blasted her, calling for an end to all of the “hate” and criticism directed at Thomas, a Phoenix Mercury forward. Thomas was receiving backlash for putting her hand on the throat of Caitlin Clark, one of the few WNBA superstars in existence, as the two were fighting over a loose ball.
Referees refused to call the incident a foul during the game. The following day, the league reviewed the play and ruled it as a “Flagrant 2 foul” for “recklessly making contact with her fist to the throat area.” As a result, Thomas has received a one-game suspension and a fine of a thousand dollars. Many feel Thomas is getting off easy for the potentially dangerous punch.
“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,” Engelbert went on to say in her statement. “We are aware of Alyssa Thomas’ comments, and what she said she and her teammates have experienced is completely unacceptable and not representative of the WNBA community.”
Thomas weighed in on the situation, saying things are being blown out of proportion, claiming the incident has led to both her and her teammates receiving death threats. She also called out Engelbert for a lack of response to the alleged threats. “We still have yet to hear anything from [Englebert],” Thomas said to reporters before the commissioner released her statement.
“You can see what’s being said … As usual, she remains silent, and that’s unfortunate when our lives are being threatened,” she continued, according to The Daily Caller. Players and fans raised questions about the incident and the league’s response to the continuous rough treatment Clark receives, as a video of the play started circulating on social media.
“This type of s**t happens every single game to [Clark], and the league and the [referees] do absolutely nothing about it,” one individual said. An ESPN analyst later claimed that Clark “embellishes” contact after the video of Clark receiving the throat punch went viral. A comment on The Daily Caller story said, “Long goodbye to the WNBA. Only idiots want to watch racist players!”
“Clark and Sophie need to go to Europe where they play real women’s ball and dominate the league like they do here. The WNBA will die, more so now than before Caitlin because now we know what a joke the league is without the great players leaving for Europe,” another person said in the comments. Someone else simply said, “The WNBA needs to just go away.”
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“That Phoenix player is now playing the victim in interviews, commissioner in agreement. Aggression toward Clark has been ok since day one. The players are still laughing about it. Still posting memes which are removed shortly after. Time for Sophie to slam a few thugs to the floor every time it happens. Maybe another teammate will help out too. The thugs will be indignant, angry, point, scream, etc. Sophie will get tossed from the game. Wash, rinse, repeat. That league could easily stop the targeting if they wanted. They are so afraid of being called racist, or anti lgbqxyz,” one user explained.
Featured Image: screenshot from embedded video