​Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark condemned all forms of hatred on Friday, following Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas revealing she had endured hateful online abuse, including death threats, after an on-court incident with Clark. Clark also announced she would miss her second straight game and her third of the season due to a back injury.
“As I’ve said before, harassment and hate are never OK,” Clark told reporters in a roughly five-minute opening at practice. “That goes for the opposing team we play, it goes for my teammates, it goes for my coaches. There should never be any question of character. I’ve always stood up for that, and that’s truly what I believe. That’s how I was raised.”
Thomas was assessed a flagrant foul 2, fined $1,000, and suspended one game after pushing her right fist into Clark’s throat during the Mercury’s 111-109 win on June 24. In the aftermath, which officials initially did not call but later upgraded on review, Thomas said she has received a flood of online harassment, some of it “threatening our lives.” “It’s not even about the suspension. If that’s what they felt was necessary in that moment, then so be it,” Thomas said Tuesday. “The biggest thing is safety. We’re concerned about safety on the court, but we keep seeing people threatening our lives, leaking addresses, posting crazy pictures that have nothing to do with basketball.”
Clark said Friday she agreed with the WNBA’s call to flag Thomas, adding, “I don’t really think it was up for debate.” She also urged improvements in officiating so players are better protected on the court. Clark also pressed back against the hateful backlash Thomas has faced since the incident, saying, “I don’t want anyone to ever experience that.”
Clark’s remarks followed Fever coach Stephanie White’s condemnation on Friday of “unacceptable” online behavior from fans, who White said do not truly represent WNBA or Fever supporters and are “using our players to advance divisive agendas.” Friday’s comments add to Clark’s long-standing stance against racism and hate toward WNBA players, which she has voiced multiple times, including during her rookie season. “Everybody in our world deserves the same amount of respect. The women in our league deserve the same respect,” Clark said before a June 2024 game. “People should not be using my name to push those agendas. It’s disappointing. It’s not acceptable.”