'Not Good and Not Necessary': Doctor Warns of Life-Threatening Danger After Caitlin Clark Takes Hit to the Throat

A punch to the throat. A pattern of eye pokes and cheap shots. And now, a leading orthopaedic voice is warning that someone could get seriously hurt before anyone steps in.

Caitlin Clark knows physicality is part of basketball. But after the latest hit landed square on her throat, a former NBA team doctor says the league is playing with fire, and that no one has yet answered the question of what happens if a hit like this goes wrong.

Clark found herself at the centre of controversy once again after taking a hit to the throat from Alyssa Thomas of the Phoenix Mercury. Video replays appeared to show Thomas driving her fist towards the Indiana Fever guard's throat, a motion medical experts say is anything but routine contact.

Never the Throat

Nicholas DiNubile, a former orthopaedic consultant for the Philadelphia 76ers, says the consequences of a hit like that are serious and potentially life-threatening.

He warns that similar contact could lead to a crushed larynx or a damaged airway.

'Ten to 20 pounds of pressure can damage the throat or larynx area. Even if you don't fracture the larynx, a blow to that area, you could get some swelling or bleeding and close the airway and get into a very rapid life-or-death situation,' DiNubile explained in an interview.

He added that he was relieved he was never the Fever's team doctor, calling it exactly the kind of high-stakes scenario he would rather not have to manage.

'I wouldn't want to be the team doctor having to deal with that (...) those kind of things that you have to respond to on the court... you can't go for the throat,' he said.

A Pattern DiNubile Says Adds Up

DiNubile's warning extends beyond the throat incident itself.

Since entering the league, Clark has regularly found herself on the receiving end of physical treatment — including eye pokes, hits to the face, and opponents crowding her landing space after long-range shots.

While each incident is often discussed separately, DiNubile says the broader concern is that repeated exposure to physical contact increases the likelihood of something going wrong, even if individual plays are not always viewed as severe in isolation.

That includes awkward landings, which can result in broken or sprained ankles and knees — or, in the worst cases, head injuries.

'Head injuries, concussions, any variety of things like that. Then you fall to the floor and anything can happen when you fall to the floor. So, um, just not good and not necessary. I don't think it's necessary,' DiNubile said.

The League's Response Sidesteps the Question

The hit has sparked a wave of criticism, with fans and analysts calling on the WNBA to tighten its rules and impose tougher sanctions for dangerous plays.

But when WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert addressed the fallout, she did not directly address the incident or any disciplinary action taken against Alyssa Thomas. Instead, she focused on broader concerns and the backlash surrounding her.

'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,' Engelbert stated.

Her response leaves the central question DiNubile is raising — whether the league's rules and enforcement are keeping pace with how physical the game has become — unanswered.

Clark herself also weighed in, echoing concerns about officiating rather than focusing on any individual player.

'The league's just got to do better, protecting our players in that regard,' Clark said.

'It can be really frustrating to me at times and it's difficult (...) A lot of people sometimes think I'm a robot. I'm not a robot,' she added.