After punching superstar Caitlin Clark in the thorat, Alyssa Thomas claims to be the “real victim” and alleges online death threats and gets a tepid response from WNBA. Sports media mogul Dave Portnoy jumped into the fray to defend Clark.
Arecent foul against WNBA star Caitlin Clark during a recent Indiana Fever v. Phoenix Mercury game fueled discussion about her treatment within the league.
A point guard for the Indiana Fever praised by legendary athletes like LeBron James, Clark has been credited with increased global viewership and interest in women’s basketball. She has also been subject to unusual amounts of physical aggression on the court, including flagrant fouls—the most severe category of foul.
The WNBA has an infinitesimal likelihood for players to receive a flagrant foul in a typical season. Clark, now in her third WNBA season, has been the target of 9 flagrant fouls, leading some to speculate that she is being unfairly targeted.
Sports world condemns Thomas and WNBA
The most recent flagrant foul, occurring on June 24, 2026, took place when Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas and Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark scrambled for a loose ball on the floor. As Thomas got up, her closed fist made contact with Clark’s throat, and she also appeared to knee Clark in the groin. At the time that it happened, no foul was called by the referees, resulting in massive backlash by WNBA fans online.
At the post-game press conference, Indiana Fever coach Stephanie White called the lack of response from referees “egregious” and “utterly disrespectful” toward Clark, who she referred to as a “generational star.” The following day, the WNBA retroactively labeled Thomas’ move illegal and issued a one-game suspension to the Phoenix player.
Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham believes that the WNBA and the referees “do nothing to protect” Clark. Her finger pointing gesture at players who commit flagrant fouls has in itself become an internet meme.
Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy, a major influencer in the sporting world, said on the “Wake Up Barstool” show, that “WNBA’s treatment of Clark reeks of ‘jealousy and hypocrisy,’ implying the league resents its biggest star because her popularity preceded the WNBA. “No one has ever come into the league like she has, it’s jealousy, it’s hypocrisy, and just not knowing where your bread is buttered […] They don’t like that she has been crowned this queen of the league before she even showed up, and they want to make a point about it, and they continue to make a point about it.”