The Valkyries vs Mercury matchup on Wednesday night had all the ingredients for a Golden State statement win. But without injured star Gabby Williams, a pair of costly mistakes in the final 20 seconds handed the Phoenix Mercury a 91-89 victory.
Alyssa Thomas Dominates Late in Valkyries vs Mercury Matchup
The Golden State Valkyries led by 12 at halftime. Then Phoenix clawed back behind Kahleah Copper's game-high 27 points. Alyssa Thomas added 25 points, nine rebounds and eight assists to fuel the Mercury's comeback. Meanwhile, veteran DeWanna Bonner chipped in a 17-point, 10-rebound double-double.
Still, Golden State had its chances.
Golden State Valkyries Fall Short Without Gabby Williams
Janelle Salaün was fouled on a 3-pointer with under 20 seconds to go and needed all three to tie. She sank the first two, then missed. Moments later, Tiffany Hayes threw an inbound pass out of bounds trying to beat the five-second count.
The Valkyries played without Gabby Williams, who averages a team-best 14.8 points per game. She's been sidelined since early July with a back contusion. In her absence, Cecilia Zandalasini paced Golden State with 16 points and Veronica Burton added 15.
Despite the loss, the Valkyries remain third in the WNBA rankings at 19-9. They return home August 2nd against the Toronto Tempo.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has a problem with calling Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark the face of the WNBA. Writing on his Substack, the NBA Hall of Famer subsequently took issue with the media and political figures driving that narrative.
What's Behind Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's Caitlin Clark Debate?
At the center of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's Caitlin Clark debate is a letter from GOP lawmakers. Addressed to WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert, the Republican-backed letter called Clark "the face of your league." Abdul-Jabbar rejected that designation, arguing it disrespects standout players like four-time MVP and three-time champion A'ja Wilson, among others.
Crowning one player without the cross-platform dominance of a Michael Jordan or LeBron James, he wrote, insults the rest of the league.
Abdul-Jabbar made clear his issue isn't with Clark herself or her talent. He called her "very good, possibly even a great player" while praising both her shooting ability and court vision.
However, his sharper criticism fell on the attention players who compete against her often receive.
Recently, Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas was suspended for a flagrant foul on Clark. After the game, Thomas and her family received racist abuse and death threats online. For his part, Abdul-Jabbar urged the league and Congress to take that kind of targeted harassment as seriously as they take on-court incidents.
The Thomas-Clark saga has a new wrinkle, as Sports Business Journal reported that NBA Commissioner Adam Silver stepped in to persuade WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert to facilitate the suspension issued to Phoenix's Alyssa Thomas.
The issue stems from a June 24th no-call foul on Indiana’s Caitlin Clark. The WNBA later issued Thomas a Flagrant 2 and $1,000 fine for making contact with Clark’s neck after a tussle beneath the basket.
According to sources, Engelbert initially didn’t consider discipline since no foul was called on the play. However, Silver insisted “there was clear evidence of a flagrant foul,” saying he “felt badly for Clark and told Engelbert she had to act.”
Soon after the report surfaced, the WNBA told USA TODAY the claims were “absolutely false.”
Engelbert is in the final year of her contract, and has drawn criticism over officiating, fueling speculation about her future.
“I don’t want to speak for Cathy,” Silver said this week.
“We made tremendous progress under her leadership over the last several years. Cathy continues to do a strong job building the league.”
Geno Auriemma weighed in on the Caitlin Clark discourse, pushing back against the narrative that hard fouls on the Indiana Fever guard are a reflection of something bigger than just basketball.
Geno Auriemma Downplays Caitlin Clark Hard Fouls
Speaking on the Sports Media with Richard Deitsch podcast, the UConn head coach and 12-time NCAA champion dismissed the notion that on-court physicality against Clark amounts to a cultural divide.
"Every first-round draft pick gets fouled hard," Auriemma said. He acknowledged that some players carry "personal animosities" toward Clark. But the broader WNBA controversy, in his view, is inflated by fan obsession rather than anything happening on the floor.
Auriemma pointed to how intense fandom has turned routine physicality into a national cause, adding that on-court confrontations "are not a referendum on America."
The Alyssa Thomas Incident That Fueled the WNBA Controversy
His comments follow a recent incident involving Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas. Thomas received a one-game suspension for a flagrant foul against Clark. She later revealed she had received death threats from fans for the physical play.
Both Clark and Fever head coach Stephanie White condemned the harassment against the veteran forward. Clark issued a statement calling for the WNBA to do better when it comes to protecting players. She also called the sustained focus on a single play "a disservice to the rest of our league."
Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark addressed the issue of online harassment against WNBA players on Friday. Her comments came after Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas said she has been fielding death threats since committing a flagrant foul on Clark two weeks ago.
"The harassment, the hate — none of that is okay," Clark said. "There should never be question of character, I've always stood up here and said that. And that's truly what I believe, that's how I was raised."
Clark Pushes WNBA to Invest In Officiating, Player Safety
"I think for the league as a whole, there's been so much more toxicity, racism, homophobia, straight up hateful nonsense, and it is absolutely unacceptable," Fever head coach Stephanie White added on Wednesday.
Clark also took aim at the WNBA’s refereeing standards and how they impact player safety. She touched on the lack of league resources to systemically improve officiating. While WNBA commissioner Cathy Englebert addressed the on-court incident between Thomas and Clark, the Indiana guard thinks more should be done.
"Overall, the league just has to do better. We have to invest in those areas," she said. "Technology can get better; we can treat the referees a little bit better, pay them like they're full-time employees."
Indiana Fever head coach Stephanie White came to the defense of Alyssa Thomas on Wednesday, joining WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert in condemning the harassment aimed at the Phoenix Mercury forward after their June 24th WNBA game. Thomas was subsequently suspended one game after making contact Caitlin Clark's throat during the physical match at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
White initially called the play "egregious," and a "cheap shot," but her tone shifted once the online response turned violent.
Fever head coach Stephanie White addresses Alyssa Thomas’ comments and “unacceptable” fan behavior: pic.twitter.com/55KB1zIX5z
— Tony East (@TonyREast) July 1, 2026
The Alyssa Thomas, Caitlin Clark WNBA Incident Sparks Online Abuse
After serving her suspension, Thomas revealed she had received death threats and racial slurs. She also called out WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert for the league's slow response to player safety concerns. White, who coached Thomas for two seasons with the Connecticut Sun, echoed that frustration.
"It is absolutely unacceptable," White told reporters. "Most of this coming from the online community."
WNBA Commissioner, Stephanie White Condemn Bad-Faith Fans
Still, White drew a clear line between fair criticism and bad-faith attacks. She argued that many of the hateful posts come from outside voices using the WNBA, the Indiana Fever, and Clark specifically, to push divisive agendas.
"I think as a league, as a whole, there's been so much more toxicity, racism, homophobia, straight out nonsense, hate nonsense," White continued.
Following the outcry, Engelbert and the league released a statement condemning all forms of hate. White reinforced that message, reminding fans the WNBA Indiana community and the league as a whole stand for inclusion.
WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert issued a statement Tuesday condemning online harassment directed at Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas. The response came after Thomas publicly criticized league leadership for its silence.
Alyssa Thomas Details Death Threats Following Caitlin Clark Incident
Thomas revealed she faced racial slurs and death threats after receiving her one-game suspension last week. The league penalized her for a retroactive Flagrant 2 foul involving contact to the throat of Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark. Before Engelbert's statement dropped, Thomas expressed frustration with the lack of action.
"We still have yet to hear anything from Cathy," she told reporters. "As usual, she remains silent."
Hours later, Engelbert confirmed that the WNBA security team has been in touch with the Mercury to help protect the players.
"The WNBA vehemently condemns any and all forms of hate," she said.
"The safety and well-being of everyone in our community is always the league’s top priority. We are aware of Alyssa Thomas's comments, and what she and her teammates have experienced is completely unacceptable and not representative of the WNBA community."
Phoenix Coach Pushes Back on Caitlin Clark Foul Investigation
Still, Mercury head coach Nate Tibbetts pushed back on the league's handling of the Alyssa Thomas suspension incident altogether.
"This was not a thorough investigation in my opinion," he said. Tibbetts also rejected Fever coach Stephanie White's characterization of the play against Clark as a "cheap shot."
"The one thing she is not is cheap," he said of Thomas.
Meanwhile, teammates Kahleah Copper and Lexi Held rallied around Thomas, with Copper saying the team wished "somebody also called her and checked on her" after the game.
The ongoing tension highlights growing concerns over player safety and digital abuse across the league as the WNBA's popularity continues to grow.
Phoenix Mercury head coach Nate Tibbetts criticized the WNBA's suspension process before his team's 89-80 win over the Toronto Tempo on Saturday. Alyssa Thomas sat out the game after the league retroactively penalized her for making contact with Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark's throat area during Wednesday's matchup.
While officials failed to call a foul during the game, the WNBA did upgrade the play to a Flagrant 2 after a postgame video review. Tibbetts, however, said the league never reached out to Thomas, himself, or team security before issuing the suspension.
Tibbetts Details Flaws in Alyssa Thomas vs Caitlin Clark Investigation
"This was not a thorough investigation in my opinion," he said. Fever coach Stephanie White had previously described the play as a "cheap shot," but Tibbetts rejected that characterization.
"She's a competitor, she's a winner, and she's tough," he said of the veteran Mercury forward. "The one thing she is not is cheap."
After Saturday's win, her Phoenix teammates rallied around Thomas as well. Guard Kahleah Copper said the team wished "somebody also called her and checked on her," while guard Lexi Held slammed the media for spreading false and untrue narratives.
Tibbetts also pushed for consistent standards across the league, regardless of a player's profile, fanbase, or experience level: "If this is the standard, make this the standard, even if the roles were reversed in this situation."
Phoenix next faces the Seattle Storm on Thursday at 10 PM ET, live on WNBA League Pass.
Alyssa Thomas will miss one game after the WNBA suspended the Phoenix Mercury forward for catching Caitlin Clark in the throat during Wednesday's Fever vs Mercury win.
The league announced the decision Thursday, following a postgame video review of the physical matchup between the two rival teams.
WNBA Upgrades Alyssa Thomas Foul on Caitlin Clark to Flagrant 2
The contact came with just over six minutes left in the second quarter, as both players went after a loose ball. Thomas appeared to push off Clark's neck with a closed fist after the scramble before stepping over her, but the WNBA referees on the floor called no foul.
After reviewing the play, the league upgraded the contact to a Flagrant 2 foul and classified it as a "non-basketball act." As a result, Thomas will sit out Phoenix's Saturday game against the Toronto Tempo.
Phoenix went on to win the game 111-109. Clark, meanwhile, finished with 19 points and eight assists before exiting early in the third quarter with a back injury.
Fever Coach Criticizes WNBA Officials After Clark Injury
The missed call drew sharp criticism from Indiana's leadership. Fever head coach Stephanie White called the lack of a penalty "absolutely unacceptable" and argued that officials hold Clark to a different standard than other players.
Fever president Kelly Krauskopf echoed those concerns, stressing that player safety must remain the league's top priority.
Indiana will next take on the LA Sparks on Saturday at 8 PM ET, before Phoenix travels to Toronto at 2 PM ET. Both WNBA games air live on CBS.
The physical rivalry between the Indiana Fever and Mercury boiled over on Wednesday night, as Caitlin Clark exited the Phoenix Mercury Game with a back injury.
Fever coach Stephanie White didn't hold back after the 111-109 loss, slamming WNBA officials over two uncalled plays she thought endangered her franchise player.
Alyssa Thomas, Valeriane Ayayi Plays Against Clark Go Uncalled
The incidents that drew White's ire came early.
In the second quarter, Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas appeared to push her fist into Clark's neck during a loose-ball scramble. Officials let it go. Then, minutes later, Phoenix forward Valeriane Ayayi closed into Clark's landing space on a 3-point attempt. Refs declined to upgrade the call to a flagrant foul.
"We have a generational talent and a WNBA superstar who had two cheap shots right there that weren't called," White said in a postgame press conference, calling the non-calls "utterly disrespectful."
Clark eventually left the court with just over five minutes remaining in the third quarter and did not return.
Before exiting, the Fever star put up 19 points and eight assists in 20 minutes of play. She has dealt with lingering back issues throughout the season, and this latest setback against the Mercury only adds to Indiana's roster concerns.
Last night's heated Fever vs Mercury battle followed a chaotic meeting between the teams just two days earlier. That clash featured six technical fouls and an ejection for Indiana forward Myisha Hines-Allen.
Where to Watch WNBA Games This Weekend
The Mercury travel to Toronto on Saturday at 2 PM ET, before Fever look to regroup against LA on Saturday at 8 PM ET. Both matches air live on CBS.