Alyssa Thomas’ hit against Caitlin Clark on Wednesday continues to reverberate on social media. The Phoenix Mercury forward dropped a fist on the Indiana Fever superstar during a loose-ball battle in the second quarter of their game, prompting backlash from WNBA observers.
Longtime Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley joined the hoopla and called out the WNBA’s officiating towards the Fever point guard.
US Senator Chuck Grassley Calls on WNBA Refs to Protect Caitlin Clark After Alyssa Thomas Incident
Thomas’ sneaky punch on Clark was the peak of two hotly contested showdowns between the two teams.
On Monday, an ugly altercation resulted in technical fouls on Clark, Thomas, DeWanna Bonner, and Sophie Cunningham during the testy matchup. Fever’s Myisha Hines-Allen was also tossed out for back-to-back technical fouls.
The chippy back-and-forth continued in the rematch two nights later. Midway through the second quarter, Clark fell while driving to the rim. Bonner and Thomas immediately joined the two-time All-Star on the ground to force a turnover.
The scrum resulted in a no-call, a sequence that had the Fever bench up in arms in protest. Replays showed that Thomas hit Clark with a fist as the Mercury forward pulled herself up.
Thomas’ hit and the no-call prompted a tweet from Grassley.
“Caitlin Clark is a bball superstar who gets consistently treated unfairly on the court. She gets a fist to the throat, for example. As a fan, I don’t appreciate ill treatment. So refs start treating Caitlin like u do every other player. What happened last night shldnt happen again,” the US Senator Chuck Grassley wrote.
Caitlin Clark is a bball superstar who gets consistently treated unfairly on the court she gets a fist to the throat for example As a fan I don’t appreciate ill treatment So refs start treating Caitlin like u do every other player. What happened last night shldnt happen again
– Chuck Grassley (@ChuckGrassley) June 26, 2026
The Mercury-Fever game also had another controversial call that Indiana supporters lambasted. Clark stepped on the foot of Valériane Ayayi, who refused to give her a landing spot after the superstar point guard attempted a 3-pointer.
After review, Ayayi’s infraction remained a common foul.
Grassley wasn’t the only notable figure who reacted on Friday to the physical pounding Clark has been taking.
The legendary broadcaster Dick Vitale also criticized opposing players for their alleged “abuse” of the WNBA’s biggest draw. Vitale called the way she has been treated “unacceptable.”
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The physical pounding has seemingly taken a toll on Clark. She reportedly tweaked her back after landing on Ayayi’s foot, forcing her to leave the Mercury-Fever game in the third quarter. Clark will now miss Indiana’s matchup against the Los Angeles Sparks on Saturday.
If the perceived overly physical play and alleged unfair officiating continue, the WNBA, Fever opponents, and the fans might hear from Grassley, Vitale, and many others again.
