One whistle would have been enough for the WNBA not to be in the mess it finds itself in today. It has been a week since Alyssa Thomas made contact with Caitlin Clark’s throat, and the Phoenix Mercury star has already served the punishment for it. But even after that, fans are still not ready to forgive and forget. 

In fact, in the aftermath of the incident, Thomas mentioned how she had been receiving death threats. Even that didn’t soften WNBA fans’ stance on Thomas. If anything, they brought up an old video of two-time WNBA All-Star Courtney Williams to hit back at Thomas. 

“The internet is not a real place,” Williams said in that clip. “So I think when you treat the internet like a real place, that’s when you get everybody like, ‘Oh my God.’ Bro, you don’t know these people in real life. Press the block button and then move on.”

While it’s unclear why Williams originally made those comments, the clip has been circulating widely as the discussion surrounding Alyssa Thomas’ actions continues to dominate WNBA circles.

During a team practice session on Tuesday, Thomas addressed reporters for the first time since serving her one-game suspension, where she maintained that the play was accidental while opening up about the abuse she has to face.

“It’s unfortunate that it’s come to this over basketball,” she said. “A lot of us, myself included, didn’t even know the play took place until after the game. Now we’re being painted as thugs. There are death threats out on us. It’s really unacceptable. It’s something that needs to change in this league, and I’m just really sick and tired of it.

“People are sending racial slurs and all types of stuff. There’s a difference between trolling, and there’s a difference between hatred. The hatred that we’re experiencing over a play that, honestly, was a complete accident; no one even knew it happened. It’s just unfortunate. The league has to do better in this instance,” Alyssa Thomas further added.

The problem for Thomas is that many fans don’t see the Clark incident in isolation.

Back in 2024, Thomas was also ejected during a game against the Chicago Sky after being assessed a Flagrant 2 foul for making contact with Angel Reese around the neck during a physical rebounding battle.

Then, during the 2025 WNBA semifinals, Thomas crashed into the legs of Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier while attempting to poke the ball loose, which forced Collier to leave the game after tearing three ligaments in her ankle.

Now, to be clear, none of those previous incidents prove intent. But they have become part of the reason why many fans remain skeptical of Alyssa Thomas’ explanation. As a result, the conversation surrounding the Mercury star is showing no signs of slowing down. And with the Phoenix Mercury and Indiana Fever set to meet again on July 9, all eyes will be on whether the rivalry can stay focused on basketball rather than another controversy.