Mercury HC defends Alyssa Thomas for Caitlin Clark incident

Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas (25) scrambles to get up over Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) on Wednesday, June 24, 2026, during a game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Mercury HC Nate Tibbetts defends Alyssa Thomas following one-game suspension for Caitlin Clark incident

By Clark Dalton | Last updated Jun 28, 2026 9:01 AM ET

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Phoenix Mercury head coach Nate Tibbetts remains in the corner of forward Alyssa Thomas.

The WNBA suspended Thomas for one game after shoving her fist into the throat of Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark in the second quarter of a 111-109 Phoenix win on Wednesday night. That play, along with many others, fueled the narrative that the six-time All-Star is a dirty player. Tibbetts insists that's false.

Nate Tibbetts defends Alyssa Thomas

"The people in this league know who [Alyssa Thomas] is," the coach said before Phoenix's road game against the Toronto Tempo on Saturday. "She's a competitor. She's a winner. ...The one thing, she is not cheap."

Tibbetts then criticized the league for punishing Thomas so suddenly. During the game, the officiating crew called no foul and didn't review the play. That didn't stop the league from quickly disciplining her. The coach felt the process should've been much more thorough.

Nate Tibbetts spoke out in support of Alyssa Thomas after her one-game suspension following the incident involving Caitlin Clark. pic.twitter.com/7fjnOQq6kP
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) June 27, 2026

"I'm disappointed with the suspension process by our league and our leaders in the W," he said (h/t freelance sports journalist Toni Canyameras). "This was not a thorough investigation, in my opinion. The people involved were not questioned at all."

Phoenix Mercury’s coach, Nate Tibbetts, addressing Alyssa Thomas suspension

“I’m disappointed with the suspension process by our league and our leaders in the W. This was not a thorough investigation in my opinion. The people involved were not questioned at all”#WNBA pic.twitter.com/f7mxNQjJ3U
— Toni Canyameras (@Canyameridis71) June 27, 2026

If the investigation had been more detailed, the league still may have handed Thomas the same punishment. As Fever head coach Stephanie White said after the incident, plays like the one on Wednesday night are "unacceptable," especially when the teams already have history.

The Fever and Mercury scuffled in an 86-77 Indiana win this past Monday. Clark and Thomas were both assessed technicals during the sequence. Mercury forward DeWanna Bonner, Fever guard Sophie Cunningham and Fever forward Myisha Hines-Allen also received technicals.

Clearly, things may be getting out of hand, and the league must send a message. Tibbetts may not like it, but cracking down on questionable plays is more important than his personal feelings on the suspension process.

Clark Dalton

Clark Dalton is a 2022 journalism graduate of the University of Texas at Austin. He gained experience in sports media over the past seven years — from live broadcasting and creating short films to podcasting and producing. In college, he wrote for The Daily Texan. He loves sports and enjoys hiking, kayaking and camping.

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