The Phoenix Mercury and Indiana Fever game on June 24, didn’t have the fiery altercations from the first of the two-game set, but Fever coach Stephanie White’s postgame press conference provided the controversy.
White went off on the officials for not calling what she deemed two “cheap shots” on star Caitlin Clark from the Mercury during Phoenix’s 111-109 win in Indianapolis.
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White called out the pattern of Clark being officiated differently from the rest of the WNBA.
“We have a generational talent and WNBA superstar who had two cheap shots (against her) right there that weren’t called,” White said. “Absolutely unacceptable.”
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Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) celebrates a made shot in the first half against the Phoenix Mercury at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on June 24, 2026.
Road trip: Mercury to face Caitlin Clark, Fever twice
(Trevor Ruszkowski/Imagn Images)
White wasn’t sure if the two plays in the second quarter caused Clark’s exit with 5:15 remaining in the third quarter after tweaking her back. But White called them “egregious.”
The first instance occurred with 6:52 left in the second when Alyssa Thomas, DeWanna Bonner and Lexi Held went for a loose ball on the court against Clark.
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Thomas appeared to knee Clark in the groin multiple times while she was on the ground, even as the ball bounced out of their immediate area. Thomas then pressed her fist into Clark’s neck as she stepped over Clark.
Officials did not call a foul of any kind throughout the interaction and later told White that they didn’t see what Thomas did.
“No. 1, you’ve got to call it. It’s absolutely egregious and utterly disrespectful,” White said.
“The fist in the throat is crazy. It’s crazy. It’s dangerous,” White said. “When you have these things continue to happen time and time and time again, eventually it gets frustrating, but I thought those were just more egregious.”
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Seconds later, Valeriane Ayayi closed out on Clark’s 3-point attempt and Clark landed on Ayayi’s foot. A foul was called and the play was reviewed, but it was not upgraded as a reckless closeout.
“(The referees) are coming in here aware of what happened two nights ago, and that (expletive) still happens,” White said. “And the reckless closeout that they actually reviewed … that wasn’t upgraded.
“To me that’s like a do-over on a test; how do you screw it up again?”
The two teams won’t meet until July 9, in Phoenix.
Reach the reporter or send tips for stories at jenna.ortiz@arizonarepublic.com, as well as @jennarortiz on X.
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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Did the Mercury “cheap-shot” Caitlin Clark?
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