In response to a recent Sports Business Journal article, NBA commissioner Adam Silver said he convinced WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert to penalize Alyssa Thomas for putting her fist in Caitlin Clark’s throat on June 24 during a Fever-Mercury game.
According to the SBJ investigation, Engelbert had no intention of suspending Thomas for her behavior until Silver “implored” her to impose a penalty.
The report stated:
“Sources familiar with the situation said Engelbert initially believed during the evaluation process that — because no foul was called on the court against Thomas — a follow-up suspension seemed too steep of a discipline. Meanwhile, those same sources said Silver believed there was clear evidence of a flagrant foul, that he felt badly for Clark and told Engelbert she had to act,”
For “recklessly” making contact with Clark’s throat, Thomas ultimately received a retroactive Flagrant 2 foul, a fine, and a one-game suspension. When questioned about his purported role in Thomas’s suspension on Thursday at CNBC’s annual Game Plan Summit, Silver declined to comment.
Silver stated:
“I’m not going to comment on that, because I don’t think it’s fair to Caitlin [Clark] — and to Cathy Engelbert either. That’s not the real issue here,”
He added:
“Let me give you a serious answer to that question. I think that ultimately the issues around Caitlin Clark are not largely about officiating. And that particular incident is not about whether a foul should have been called at the time of the game or whether that was ultimately a flagrant non-review.
“I’ve come to know Caitlin really well. She’s an incredible player and also an incredible person. And she wants to focus on being the best player she can. And she’s become a bit of a political football in this country, and I think it’s incredibly unfair to her. I don’t think that issue is ultimately about officiating. It’s become political ping-pong with her. … And I don’t even think it’s fair to her that this has become a separate storyline about one foul — should it have been called in time or should it have been called after the fact? That’s my response. People are allowed to think whatever they can, and whatever they want, about our league. But there’s so much to celebrate around the WNBA.”
Silver’s full comments here.
Engelbert was on stage earlier in the afternoon (for a sponsored panel) and was not asked about the report/incident. pic.twitter.com/8Q5zWeJdz6
— Rob Schaefer (@rob_schaef) July 16, 2026
Silver continued by praising the W’s continued expansion, which was partly attributable to Clark, and emphasizing that the WNBA still had a long way to go in terms of more equitable officiating.
