​Did NBA commissioner Adam Silver have to convince WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert to suspend Phoenix Mercury superstar forward Alyssa Thomas for a game after the Caitlin Clark neck-pressing incident?While the WNBA has denied Wednesday’s Sports Business Journal report, the fact that said report exists further corrodes the idea Engelbert will return as the WNBA’s leader past her 2026 contract.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAccording to SBJ’s Tom Friend, Engelbert initially leaned toward letting the Thomas-Clark incident slide before Silver stepped in to correct course. Allegedly, some of Friend’s sources speculated concerns of Clark bias played a role in Engelbert’s initial decision. Thomas was eventually sidelined for a game with a Flagrant 2 foul.”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,” Friend wrote. “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.”A source close to Engelbert said league ref ops and basketball ops personnel commonly make recommendations after potential flagrant foul calls, and that’s what happened with the Thomas decision. Other sources close to Engelbert have said she is an unenviable position — trying not to show favoritism toward the uber-popular Clark while also trying to appease players who believe they’ve been overshadowed by Clark. The death threats against Thomas, post-incident, are an example of what other WNBA players are dealing with.”But critics leaguewide, sources said, believe Engelbert has gone overboard not to prioritize the Fever star, and they point to the fact she has not once attended a Fever game in Indianapolis since Clark arrived three seasons ago.”AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementObviously, Engelbert has been on thin ice with the WNBA’s players and wider public since arguably before Clark entered the league in 2024. An explosive report, even if it’s denied, like this won’t help her case.She bailed on an interview at the last minute on his show.This article originally appeared on For The Win: Did WNBA almost not suspend Alyssa Thomas after Caitlin Clark controversy?