The Phoenix Mercury, a WNBA team, is facing backlash for allegedly mocking an injury that was sustained by Indiana Fever player Caitlin Clark during a Wednesday game between the two teams.
“Midway through the second quarter, Clark ended up on the floor after trying to drive to the basket,” according to Fox News. “As players scrambled for the ball, Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas appeared to drive her knee into Clark’s thigh and press her fist into the Fever star’s neck and throat area.”
At the time of the game, no foul was issued, despite Indiana head coach Stephanie White reportedly labeling Thomas’ move a cheap shot.
Caitlin Clark got punched in the throat & stepped on by Alyssa Thomas.
No foul, of course 🙄 pic.twitter.com/peBy5K3kfi
— Jon Root (@JonnyRoot_) June 25, 2026
As if this wasn’t bad enough, the Phoenix Mercury decided to double down on its shenanigans by then seemingly mocking Clark with a cartoon posted to the team’s X social media account.
The cartoon appeared to show an injured Clark on the ground with the caption “De-Wanna Piece Of This?” The “De-Wanna” part was a weird reference to Phoenix Mercury team member DeWanna Bonner.
Look:
Breaking: The cowards at @PhoenixMercury deleted the post making fun of CC getting throat punched by Alyssa Thomas. If you’re gonna ruin the golden goose at least stand by it. COWARDS
DELETED pic.twitter.com/aCEkmib64Q
— Dave Portnoy (@stoolpresidente) June 25, 2026
Some have defended the team’s cartoon by claiming it wasn’t a reference to Clark being on the ground but rather to Bonner.
Look:
it was in reference to this DB picture from the same game. totally get they should have avoided any pictures of people on the ground but it wasn’t a reference to that play. pic.twitter.com/qQCRnLhRxH
— 🏀⛹️♀️🫶🏼 (@respect2wsports) June 25, 2026
The good news is that a day later, on Thursday, the WNBA decided to hit Thomas with a Flagrant Foul 2 penalty and a one-game suspension for the behavior she’d displayed toward Clark.
The WNBA said in a statement that she was disciplined for “recklessly making contact with her fist to the throat area of Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark.”
Following this announcement, the Indiana Fever released a statement from team president Kelly Krauskopf.
“Player safety should be paramount in our league,” she said. “We appreciate the WNBA’s review of last night’s incident and the action taken. Right now our focus is on Caitlin and our entire team as we prepare for Saturday.”
— Indiana Fever (@IndianaFever) June 25, 2026
Meanwhile, the Phoenix Mercury deleted their X post after the team was assailed with massive backlash on social media.
“You are racist cheaters,” one critic wrote. “Way to lose fans! You should not be so hateful to someone you are 💯 Jealous of! You should be embracing Katlin she’s brought fans to a sport few cared about and instead you are bullying the golden goose. Yes it’s true, you’re a bunch of dumb jocks! Sad!”
“@PhoenixMercury is trash,” another critic opined. “They should be ashamed of themselves, but given what we have seen from their dirty players, I wouldn’t count on them feeling any shame at all.”
F*ck your team, your league, and especially your ghetto thug Alyssa Thomas. She belongs in jail.
— Mouse_of_the_House🇺🇸🇮🇪⛳️☘️😺🐾 (@houseofmousecat) June 26, 2026
Classless and dirty! No room in any sport for this behavior and the wmba allows it to happen. Suspension isnt good enough.
— Stace (@Redbird6600) June 26, 2026
A new era…ghetto hoes that resort to throat punching. Thugs threatened by someone who plays better than them. Up your game and you won’t have to worry about what your opponent is doing…
— MJ (@Michellj57) June 26, 2026
Imagine knowing you suck as a player and can’t beat Caitlin Clark so instead you turn to violence and cheap shots and injure her. Alyssa knows she can’t compete at all star level without injuring the better competition first
— Brian A Dierks (@brian_dierks) June 26, 2026
GOOD MORNING. Where’s AT’s apology to CC, her own team and all players in the league for making the entire WNBA look bad. It affects everyone associated with the @WNBA. An apology might help mitigate the damage done. A one game suspension helps but it’s not enough.
— Proverbs 4:23 (@Tracyrrg) June 26, 2026
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V. Saxena is a staff writer with a decade of experience as a professional writer, and a lifetime of experience as an avid news junkie. He holds a degree in computer technology from Purdue University. Saxena also contributes to BizPac Review.
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