Fever lose Game to Mercury, Caitlin Clark to back injury; Indiana coach Stephanie White lashes out after game
It’s been a rough week for Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark, and Wednesday night it got worse.
During the Fever’s 111-109 home loss to the Phoenix Mercury, Clark left the game in the first quarter and returned to the bench wearing a wrap around her back. She took a fist to the throat by Phoenix veteran Alyssa Thomas in the second quarter and then left the game in the third quarter with a back injury.
She finished the game with 19 points and eight assists in 20 minutes.
Fever coach Stephanie White didn’t have an update on Clark’s back injury, which has been an ongoing issue all season, but had plenty to say about the play involving Clark and Thomas.
“It was egregious,” White said. “Number one, you gotta call it. It’s absolutely egregious and utterly disrespectful. And then number two, you’re coming in here aware of what happened two nights ago, and that s— still happens. Absolutely unacceptable, absolutely unacceptable.”
This angel of Alyssa Thomas cheapshotting shows that not only did she punch Caitlin Clark in the throat; she kneed her in the groin too.
The league should look at this, assess a flagrant, & do everything they can to protect their most important player. pic.twitter.com/xDArcPTYiS
— Jon Root (@JonnyRoot_) June 25, 2026
PART TWO
White’s reference was to Monday’s tense battle, which featured six technical fouls and one ejection before the Fever won, 86-77.
It set the stage for another gritty game after Monday’s tense meeting between the two teams, which featured 6 technical fouls and 1 ejection.
White also bemoaned a non-call on Phoenix’s Valeriane Ayayi, who, per replays revealed, gave no space to Clark during a 3-point attempt. Not only did Clark’s right foot appear to land on Ayayi’s left foot, but she also had zero landing space and fell awkwardly, which may have contributed to her nagging back injury.
The landing space rule in the WNBA is designed to protect shooters by ensuring defenders do not make contact with them when they are landing after a jump shot. If a defender does not allow the shooter to land safely, it can be called a foul.
“The reckless closeout that they actually reviewed, and the foot still comes down on top of the defender’s foot that wasn’t upgraded – absolutely disrespectful,” White continued. “We have a generational talent and a WNBA superstar who had two cheap shots right there that weren’t called, and I just say again, absolutely unacceptable!”
#Fever HC Stephanie White on #Mercury’s Alyssa Thomas pushing down on Caitlin Clark’s neck in the 2Q.
“You’re coming in here aware of what happened two nights ago and that shit still happens? Absolutely unacceptable.”
“She is not called the same way everybody else is called.” pic.twitter.com/895jVuZb0E
— James Boyd (@RomeovilleKid) June 25, 2026
GETTING THE CALL
White said she and her coaching staff spent “all off-season looking at officiating” and said all they’re looking for is one thing from WNBA referees.
“Consistency,” White said. “She is not called the same way everybody else is called.”
While that may be, in White’s eyes, Clark is drawing a league-tying second-most personal fouls per game (6.7), along with Washington Mystics guard Sonia Citron. Both trail Las Vegas Aces star A’ja Wilson, who draws 7.7 personal fouls per game.
Clark and Atlanta Dream star Angel Reese are tied for sixth in attempting 6.1 free throws per game.
Clark didn’t, however, receive a call when she fell to the court as she was driving into the paint, and as players went for the loose ball, Thomas dove on top of Clark. During the scramble, Thomas appeared to brace herself with her right fist, holding herself up on Clark’s right arm before pushing it into her throat.
“They were so egregious,” White said. “The fist in the throat is crazy, it’s crazy. It’s dangerous. The landing spot, when you went to review it, and she still comes down on top of another foot. Like, I don’t know.
“Cause to me that’s like a do-over on a test, how do you screw it up again? When you have these things continue to happen time-and-time-and-time-and-time-and-time again, eventually, it gets frustrating. But I thought those were just more egregious.”
BACK TO THE GAME
Kahleah Copper led five Mercury players with 28 points, including 15 of 16 from the free-throw line, while Thomas added 24 points and eight assists.
Ayayi had 19 points, DeWanna Bonner added 13 and Noemi Brochant chipped in with 12.
Phoenix coach Nate Tibbetts neither addressed nor was asked about the incidents involving Clark.
Indiana’s Kelsey Mitchell led all scorers with 30 points, while Aliyah Boston had 23 points and nine rebounds. Myisha Hines-Allen contributed with 13 for the Fever.
The Fever have set a new WNBA record for most losses in a season when scoring 100+ points.
Four of their eight losses this season have come despite them scoring over 100 points. pic.twitter.com/a8yz5ojdwY
— The Sporting News (@sportingnews) June 25, 2026
In losing for the third time in four games, the Fever dropped to 10-8. Phoenix, which was swept by the Aces in last year’s WNBA Finals, improved to 6-13.
Clark is currently second in All-Star fan voting that was released on Wednesday behind teammate Aliyah Boston.
W.G. Ramirez is a veteran sports writer from Las Vegas and a Senior Staff Writer at Ballislife.com. Follow him on X at @WillieGRamirez.
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