WNBA Referees Never Called a Foul on Alyssa Thomas' Caitlin Clark Play—Hours Later She Was Suspended

The WNBA has suspended Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas for one game after upgrading an incident involving Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark that officials did not penalise during Wednesday night's game.

After reviewing the incident following the game, the league issued Thomas with a Flagrant Foul 2 for 'recklessly making contact with her fist to the throat area' of Clark during the Mercury's 111-109 victory at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. The WNBA also ruled the incident a 'non-basketball act'.

No foul was called during the incident, which occurred with 6:52 remaining in the second quarter. Under WNBA rules, the league office can review games after the final buzzer, reclassify uncalled fouls as flagrant offences and impose fines or suspensions where appropriate.

League Upgrades No-Call After Review

Clark drove into the lane before falling to the floor after contact with defender Lexi Held while attempting to retain possession. As players chased the loose ball, Thomas made contact with Clark's throat area with her fist before stepping over her as play continued.

Although officials allowed play to continue, the WNBA later upgraded the incident to a Flagrant Foul 2 following its review. The decision gave Thomas enough accumulated flagrant points under league disciplinary rules to trigger an automatic one-game suspension, even though no foul had been called during the game itself.

Thomas will serve the suspension on Saturday when the Mercury face the Toronto Tempo, which is the first suspension of her 13-year WNBA career. The decision followed a physical two-game series between Phoenix and Indiana, with the teams' previous meeting featuring multiple technical fouls and an ejection before Wednesday's latest incident.

Fever Criticise Officiating

Indiana coach Stephanie White said officials told her after the game that they had not seen the contact involving Clark. Speaking after the match, White described the incident as 'dangerous' and said it was 'absolutely egregious' that no foul had been called. She also questioned the consistency of officiating, arguing that Clark had been subjected to contact that officials failed to penalise.

Fever president Kelly Krauskopf later welcomed the league's decision, saying in a statement that 'player safety should be paramount in our league'. She thanked the WNBA for reviewing the incident and said the team's immediate focus remained on Clark and preparing for Saturday's game.

Clark Left Game Injured

Clark did not finish Wednesday's game after leaving in the third quarter with a back issue. The Fever later confirmed she would miss the remainder of the game because of the injury.

White said it remained unclear whether the earlier contact involving Thomas or a later play, in which Clark landed on the foot of Phoenix defender Valeriane Ayayi while attempting a three-point shot, contributed to the back problem. That second incident resulted in a foul but was not upgraded following an in-game review.

The suspension concludes the league's disciplinary review but does not alter the outcome of Wednesday's game, in which no foul, free throws or ejection resulted from the play that the WNBA later ruled warranted a Flagrant Foul 2 penalty and an automatic suspension.