Indiana Fever coach Stephanie White was unequivocal when she condemned Alyssa Thomas’s fist-to-the-throat foul against Caitlin Clark. However, she equally believes that the wave of threats, abuses, and harassment that Thomas has endured since the incident has absolutely no place in sport. White addressed the matter during a Wednesday practice interview. But since then, and even before, a significant number of fans on social media have been calling on Caitlin Clark herself to speak out and address the situation directly.

For ex-WNBA star Angel McCoughtry, however, that responsibility does not belong to Clark.

“It’s not Caitlin’s job,” she said on Thursday’s episode of Just Women’s Sports podcast, which she co-hosted alongside American-Nigerian sports broadcaster Ros Gold-Onwude. “It is the league’s job and the people around Phoenix’s job.”

Gold-Onwude shared that same perspective. She, too, does not believe Caitlin Clark has the obligation to speak up for Alyssa Thomas. However, she acknowledges that Clark’s choice to remain silent will be, and already is being, judged by fans on social media. She would have appreciated it if Clark had said something, even if she does not believe it was required of her.

McCoughtry, in fact, says she personally would have broken the silence if she were in Caitlin Clark’s position. 

“If it was me, if I’m Caitlin, I would make a statement: ‘Hey guys, we moved past it. We moved along. It was a tough play, but we’re over it. We’re keeping it moving,'” she said.

McCoughtry also made the point that it was not strictly Stephanie White’s responsibility to speak up either. But the fact that she did, choosing to address it with maturity, grace, and genuine humanity, only highlighted how much more the league’s own front office should have done. 

Ex-WNBA player expresses disappointment over league action amid Alyssa Thomas online threats

When Alyssa Thomas first addressed the controversy over the foul on Caitlin Clark, she called out WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert directly. She cited what she perceived as a prolonged and inexcusable silence, particularly given the severity of the threats and abuse directed at her and her Phoenix Mercury teammates.

Sure, Engelbert did eventually release a statement. But for ex-WNBA player Angel McCoughtry, that response, however belated, still fell far short of what the moment demanded, especially when measured against the thoughtful and deliberate way Caitlin Clark’s coach, Stephanie White, handled it. 

“I’m very disappointed that this wasn’t done from the league first,” McCoughtry said.

Ros Gold-Onwude shared that disappointment, too. She, in fact, went a step further and noted that this is far from the first time the league has failed to respond with appropriate urgency and care in situations of this nature. 

“I think the league has an obligation to do that for its players,” she said. “I’m especially disappointed because this is not the first time.”

Gold-Onwude was referencing the WNBA Commissioner’s widely criticised response to the toxic online environment that grew up around the Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese rivalry in 2024. Rather than addressing the harassment and threats with the seriousness they warranted, Engelbert treated it as a positive business metric. Although she later apologized, the pattern, as Gold-Onwude pointed out, has not changed.