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NEW YORK — On a panel at the CNBC/Boardroom Game Plan event Thursday evening, NBA commissioner Adam Silver did not mince words when asked about the now-infamous play between Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark and Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas.
“Ultimately, the issues around Caitlin Clark are not largely about officiating,” Silver said. “That particular incident is not about whether a foul should have been called at the time of the game or whether that was ultimately a flagrant non-review. I’ve come to know Caitlin really well. She’s an incredible player and also an incredible person. And she wants to focus on being the best player she can. And she’s become a bit of a political football in this country, and I think it’s incredibly unfair to her.”
The play Silver was referencing occurred during a game between the Fever and the Mercury on June 24. In the second quarter of the Mercury’s 111-109 win over the Fever, Thomas pushed her closed fist into Clark’s neck as Thomas attempted to stand up during a loose-ball play. The Fever appealed the play, and after reviewing it, the WNBA retroactively issued Thomas a flagrant 2 and announced a one-game suspension.
According to a Sports Business Journal report, it was actually Silver who pushed WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert to issue the suspension. Silver did not refute the accuracy of the report when pressed about it onstage, opting instead to say he would not comment because he didn’t think it was fair to Clark or Engelbert.
“That’s not the real issue here,” Silver said. “What people are trying to make a larger issue (about) is not (whether) that was a flagrant foul or not.”
Thomas said she was made aware of her suspension roughly 10 minutes before the news was shared widely via social media. She said that in the aftermath of that game, death threats, as well as a myriad of harassment and racial slurs, were sent to her and her family.
Officiating has been a pain point for the WNBA for years, but it’s reached heightened levels since Clark entered the league in 2024. The level of physicality was such an issue that some coaches wondered if there was a directive that came down from WNBA leadership to allow for more physicality.
Silver acknowledged plainly that there’s “no doubt” the league needs to improve its officiating.
Steps were taken this offseason to do just that, including establishing a task force comprised of eight general managers and coaches. The group met during the offseason and developed a list of priorities, including calling illegal contact, enforcing the defensive three-second rule and establishing a clear line between legal and illegal contact. Long-time WNBA official Eric Brewton was also hired for a newly created advisor position.
Officiating issues have persisted this season despite these efforts.
Silver elaborated on his belief that the root of the issue is not about officiating and is rather an issue of “political ping-pong” with Clark.
“She’s a young woman who’s trying to improve her game, focus on being the best player as she can,” Silver said. “I don’t even think it’s fair to her that this has become a separate storyline about ‘one foul should have been called at the time’ or ‘should have been called a flagrant after the fact.’”
Engelbert spoke on a panel before Silver and was not asked about the league’s decision to suspend Thomas or whether her NBA commissioner counterpart persuaded her to enforce disciplinary action. She was asked how the league can grow while limiting toxicity, to which she said the vitriol was “unacceptable” while commending the “good in the game.”
Silver was a key contributor to the WNBA’s origin, saying Thursday he was part of the group that wrote the original business plan for the league 30 years ago. He praised how the league has grown over the last three decades, referencing “off-the-chart valuations” and Clark, whom he credited for bringing an entirely new audience to the WNBA.
“Then it became a rising tide,” Silver said. “Because as we quickly saw, it wasn’t just Caitlin. There’s enormous talent in this league.”
This article originally appeared in The Athletic.
Indiana Fever, WNBA
2026 The Athletic Media Company
Continue reading...
“Ultimately, the issues around Caitlin Clark are not largely about officiating,” Silver said. “That particular incident is not about whether a foul should have been called at the time of the game or whether that was ultimately a flagrant non-review. I’ve come to know Caitlin really well. She’s an incredible player and also an incredible person. And she wants to focus on being the best player she can. And she’s become a bit of a political football in this country, and I think it’s incredibly unfair to her.”
The play Silver was referencing occurred during a game between the Fever and the Mercury on June 24. In the second quarter of the Mercury’s 111-109 win over the Fever, Thomas pushed her closed fist into Clark’s neck as Thomas attempted to stand up during a loose-ball play. The Fever appealed the play, and after reviewing it, the WNBA retroactively issued Thomas a flagrant 2 and announced a one-game suspension.
According to a Sports Business Journal report, it was actually Silver who pushed WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert to issue the suspension. Silver did not refute the accuracy of the report when pressed about it onstage, opting instead to say he would not comment because he didn’t think it was fair to Clark or Engelbert.
“That’s not the real issue here,” Silver said. “What people are trying to make a larger issue (about) is not (whether) that was a flagrant foul or not.”
Thomas said she was made aware of her suspension roughly 10 minutes before the news was shared widely via social media. She said that in the aftermath of that game, death threats, as well as a myriad of harassment and racial slurs, were sent to her and her family.
Officiating has been a pain point for the WNBA for years, but it’s reached heightened levels since Clark entered the league in 2024. The level of physicality was such an issue that some coaches wondered if there was a directive that came down from WNBA leadership to allow for more physicality.
Silver acknowledged plainly that there’s “no doubt” the league needs to improve its officiating.
Steps were taken this offseason to do just that, including establishing a task force comprised of eight general managers and coaches. The group met during the offseason and developed a list of priorities, including calling illegal contact, enforcing the defensive three-second rule and establishing a clear line between legal and illegal contact. Long-time WNBA official Eric Brewton was also hired for a newly created advisor position.
Officiating issues have persisted this season despite these efforts.
Silver elaborated on his belief that the root of the issue is not about officiating and is rather an issue of “political ping-pong” with Clark.
“She’s a young woman who’s trying to improve her game, focus on being the best player as she can,” Silver said. “I don’t even think it’s fair to her that this has become a separate storyline about ‘one foul should have been called at the time’ or ‘should have been called a flagrant after the fact.’”
Engelbert spoke on a panel before Silver and was not asked about the league’s decision to suspend Thomas or whether her NBA commissioner counterpart persuaded her to enforce disciplinary action. She was asked how the league can grow while limiting toxicity, to which she said the vitriol was “unacceptable” while commending the “good in the game.”
Silver was a key contributor to the WNBA’s origin, saying Thursday he was part of the group that wrote the original business plan for the league 30 years ago. He praised how the league has grown over the last three decades, referencing “off-the-chart valuations” and Clark, whom he credited for bringing an entirely new audience to the WNBA.
“Then it became a rising tide,” Silver said. “Because as we quickly saw, it wasn’t just Caitlin. There’s enormous talent in this league.”
This article originally appeared in The Athletic.
Indiana Fever, WNBA
2026 The Athletic Media Company
Continue reading...
