The escalating violence against WNBA superstar Caitlin Clark ignited a social media uproar after she was stomped and hit in the throat by a rival player during a chilling on-court scuffle.
The clown show unfolded Wednesday during the Phoenix Mercury’s 111-109 win against the Indiana Fever in Indianapolis.
During a loose-ball scramble in the second quarter, Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas collapsed on Clark, drove her knee into the Fever star’s groin area, and rammed her fist into Clark’s throat.
Clark left the game with a back injury in the third quarter, after having notched an impressive 19 points and eight assists.
Thomas later received a one-game suspension for her flagrant foul.
Caitlin Clark got punched in the throat & stepped on by Alyssa Thomas.
No foul, of course 🙄 pic.twitter.com/peBy5K3kfi
— Jon Root (@JonnyRoot_) June 25, 2026
The disturbing incident — and the insignificant penalty Thomas was assessed — drew heavy backlash.
Conservative influencer Robby Starbuck slammed the WNBA for ignoring the repeated hard fouls on Clark, whose unprecedented popularity has dramatically raised public interest in women’s basketball.
“At some point Caitlyn Clark has to stand up for herself and call out the racism involved,” Starbuck wrote on X.
“If she was a black star boosting everyone’s paycheck, they’d be treating her like a queen. Instead, because she’s white, she’s targeted with assaults on the court and insults off the court.”
At some point Caitlyn Clark has to stand up for herself and call out the racism involved. If she was a black star boosting everyone’s paycheck, they’d be treating her like a queen. Instead, because she’s white, she’s targeted with assaults on the court and insults off the court. https://t.co/SyFDahOAMp
— Robby Starbuck (@robbystarbuck) June 26, 2026
Rep. Tim Burchett, a Republican from Tennessee, pointed out how close Clark had gotten to getting severely injured.
12 pounds is all it takes to crush your wind pipe. https://t.co/hJ2Vf6z2Ta
— Tim Burchett (@timburchett) June 25, 2026
“Caitlin Clark is treated like this because she is white,” one X user underscored. “And the WNBA is enabling it.”
Caitlin Clark is treated like this because she is white
And the WNBA is enabling it pic.twitter.com/pXrhfLE8Ca
— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) June 25, 2026
Another commentator hinted at the self-destructive irony of Clark’s jealous rivals, who are too stupid to understand that if their unnecessary roughness sidelines Clark, no one’s going to watch the WNBA anymore.
“Never has a photo so completely encapsulated the total and complete failure of the @WNBA’s leadership,” the X user remarked.
“Never in the history of sports has a golden goose been so deliberately squandered.”
Never has a photo so completely encapsulated the total and complete failure of the @wnba’s leadership.
Never in the history of sports has a golden goose been so deliberately squandered. pic.twitter.com/vZUcxI0pbU
— Max Twain (@MaxTwain24) June 25, 2026
Indiana Fever coach Stephanie White also torched WNBA officials for continuing to enable the ongoing brutal treatment of Clark.
“We have a generational talent and WNBA superstar who had two cheap shots [against her] right there that weren’t called,” White told ESPN. “Absolutely unacceptable.”
3rd year in a row the WNBA said it’s free hunting season on Caitlin Clark smh pic.twitter.com/eaqZ3qjWGA
— tek (@baby22goat) June 25, 2026
The coach blasted the blatant double standard the WNBA has exhibited toward Clark.
“We spent all offseason looking at officiating, and I still say the one thing that we keep asking for is consistency,” she said. “[Clark] is not called the same way as everybody else is called.”
“The fist in the throat is crazy. It’s crazy. It’s dangerous,” White continued. “When you have these things continue to happen time and time and time again, eventually it gets frustrating.”
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