WNBA star Caitlin Clark responds after being punched in the throat
WNBA star Caitlin Clark is responding publicly after being punched in the throat during a game by Phoenix Mercury player Alyssa Thomas. Clark expresses frustration that the incident overshadows the game. Thomas then criticizes Clark for remaining silent about the incident and laments that “our lives are being threatened.”
Caitlin Clark counterattacked.
The WNBA phenom became the first player in league history with at least 40 points and 10 assists, and just the 10th player in WNBA history with a 45-point game, on Friday night against the Seattle Storm.
He did it all against the backdrop of an ongoing national controversy over the treatment he received from the league and other players, which has reached a fever pitch in recent days.
CAITLIN CLARK HELPS WNBA ACHIEVE HISTORIC LATE NIGHT CABLE NUMBER DESPITE LIMITED RETURN IN LA
Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark grabs the ball during the second half of a game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. The Fever defeated the Seattle Storm, 110-107. (Grace Smith/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
Regardless, Clark came out on Friday and had his best game as a pro with 45 points, 10 assists and four steals. His final steal of the game nearly secured the victory when he knocked the ball out of the hands of Seattle's Flau'Jae Johnson with less than a minute left.
It was also the highest scoring game by a WNBA point guard or any Indiana Fever player.
Caitlin Clark drives to the basket during a game against the Seattle Storm at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana, on July 17, 2026. (Pepper Robinson/NBAE via Getty Images)
In an on-court interview with ION just after the game concluded, Clark said he “really doesn't care” about the history he made, and said the way his team played defense was “embarrassing” as Indiana won 110-107.
Clark told reporters that he refused to leave the game late despite being on a minutes restriction while recovering from a back injury.
“I told Steph at halftime that I felt great and I didn't want to lose this game,” Clark said.
“There's no way he could get out of the game in the fourth quarter. It didn't matter. He was playing on one leg,” Clark added.
Clark also reflected on overcoming struggles.
“I know all the time and work I put in, and people believe in me. And more than anything, I believe in myself,” she said. “And you just have to put in a little effort. When things don't go your way, no one cares. Find a way to make it better and find a way to help your team win and make this team better.”
The WNBA has faced feverish tension in recent weeks after Clark was punched in the throat by Phoenix Mercury star Alyssa Thomas during a game in June, sparking a weeks-long discourse in the media and online that often invokes race and sexuality in discussions about how referees, fans, other players and the media have treated Clark.
CAITLIN CLARK FINALLY BREAKS HER WEEK-LONG SILENCE AFTER BEING HIT IN THE THROAT BY ALYSSA THOMAS
Clark later publicly stated in her first media scrum since the hit that the WNBA needs to better protect its players, admitting that Thomas' hit was a clear flagrant foul and criticizing the overall state of the league's officiating.
The controversy spilled over into politics when a group of 11 Republican lawmakers wrote a letter to WNBA leaders demanding accountability and better protection for Clark against repeated physical attacks.
WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert walked out of an interview on “The Dan Patrick Show,” sparking a new public relations crisis for the league after Patrick went public with her cancellation of the interview and criticized her on her show for skipping it amid ongoing questions about Clark.
Clark then reignited controversy when she was seen yelling in a referee's face during a loss to Golden State on Wednesday night, after the referee didn't call a foul on a play that Clark said caused a bruise on her leg.
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Clark had been regaining full strength after suffering a back injury in the same game in which he suffered the throat hit, and had been on a strict minutes restriction during his first three games. But on Friday he seemed to be back with his historic performance, despite also playing limited minutes, as he played less than 30 minutes.
At 15-10, the Fever are now tied with the Atlanta Dream for first place in the Eastern Conference, and will face third-place New York Liberty at home on Saturday.
