No matter what Caitlin Clark says these days, it seems someone's ready to pounce. And her latest attempt to address the fallout from the Alyssa Thomas incident has only poured more fuel on the fire.
Back on June 24, Thomas—a Phoenix Mercury star—caught Clark in the throat during a hard-fought 111-109 win over the Indiana Fever. The league reviewed the play and handed Thomas a one-game suspension. But the real storm didn't break until this week, when Thomas revealed she's been receiving death threats ever since that game.
“I’m crazy, you know, the playing the game, being suspended, just the whole narrative that’s being painted out there. It’s unfortunate that it’s come to this over basketball. A lot of us, myself included, didn’t even know the play took place until after, you know, the game,” Thomas said Tuesday. “And, you know, now we’re being painted as thugs, and there’s death threats out on us. So it’s really unacceptable. It’s something that needs to change in this league.”
Fast forward to Friday, and Clark finally addressed the situation in a lengthy opening statement. She started by defending her own view of the foul: “I did think it was a flagrant foul and our reffing just needs to be better. It’s tough. Obviously, the refs are in a really difficult spot. It’s one of the hardest jobs in the world, in my opinion. So, I think, for us, the league’s just got to do better protecting our players.”
Then she turned to the harassment Thomas has endured. “The harassment, the hate, none of that is OK. That goes for the opposing team we play. That goes for my teammates. That goes for my coaches. There should never be question of character,” Clark said. “None of that is OK, and I don’t want anybody to ever experience that.”
On paper, Clark said all the right things. But the timing—nearly two weeks after the incident—has drawn sharp criticism. Social media lit up with accusations that Clark's response was “bare minimum and very late,” with one user writing, “Wow she says the hate and the racism is disturbing we already know that! I’m sorry it’s hard for her and yes players need protected however the harm is being down because the proximity to her is valued more from her fans!”
Another critic was blunter: “Typical Caitlin. Says absolutely nothing and always 12 days too late. Get her outta here.” A third asked, “What took her so long? I understand she wants to limit social media, but what kept her from congrats to NY for Commissioner’s Cup, comments on amazing 4 OT game that was all over media. CC needs to own her leadership more.”
Of course, Clark also had defenders. One fan praised her for calling out the dangerous foul while condemning the threats: “This is how it’s done! Call BS point-blank and simple: condemn the clear, dangerous foul that started the whole mess in the first place, while also condemning the threats and hate Alyssa Thomas is receiving because that is clearly not okay either.” Another added, “This is truly what sets Caitlin apart from the rest. She doesn’t play victim. She keeps supporting the league and colleagues even while they pile on her.”
The debate echoes recent criticism over the idea of special protection for Clark and comes amid a broader conversation about how Clark is perceived by peers and fans. The Fever and Mercury are set to meet again on July 9, and all eyes will be on whether tensions boil over—or if Clark's delayed words can help cool things down.
