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Before Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas was suspended one game for a cheap shot on Indiana Fever superstar guard Caitlin Clark, the WNBA reportedly didn’t plan on suspending Thomas.
That report comes from Tom Friend of the Sports Business Journal, whose sources say that NBA commissioner Adam Silver had to persuade the WNBA commissioner, Cathy Engelbert, to act after Thomas hit Clark with a fist to the throat in a game on June 24.
“Silver did not address his role in the Thomas suspension Tuesday. But sources familiar with the situation said Engelbert initially believed during the evaluation process that — because no foul was called on the court against Thomas — a follow-up suspension seemed too steep of a discipline,” Friend reported.
“Meanwhile, those same sources said Silver believed there was clear evidence of a flagrant foul, that he felt badly for Clark and told Engelbert she had to act,” Friend added.
MORE: Caitlin Clark fans rip Jason Whitlock over recent ‘flop’ criticism
Ultimately, Thomas was suspended for one game, which was warranted based on the video evidence of the incident in which Thomas actually hit Clark with multiple cheap shots.
Engelbert has been heavily criticized for not doing enough to promote Clark despite her being the league’s biggest star.
The bigger knock on Engelbert has been her failure to protect Clark from cheap shots she has taken since entering the league, which many believe are a result of WNBA players being jealous of Clark’s immense popularity.
Not handing out discipline to Thomas would have been another prime example of that and, if this report is to be believed, Engelbert would have failed to protect Clark yet again if Silver hadn’t persuaded her to punish Thomas.
Jun 11, 2026; Portland, Oregon, USA; WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert meets with the working media before Portland Fire against the Las Vegas Aces at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Jaime Valdez-Imagn Images
Friend’s report also paints an uncertain picture for Engelbert’s future as the commissioner.
According to Friend, the belief last year was that Engelbert would not last past the Collective Bargaining Agreement being passed, but that appears to have saved her job for now.
During a press conference at the NBA Summer League on Tuesday night, Silver was asked about Engelbert’s future.
MORE: Slo-Mo video of Caitlin Clark’s step-back 3-point is a must-see
While he went on to praise the WNBA commissioner for the job she has done, he also noted that, “We’ll have ongoing discussions about what the future looks like.”
Engelbert didn’t help her public persona recently when she ducked an interview with Dan Patrick while attending the American Century Championship golf tournament last week.
Engelbert had initially agreed to the interview before deciding against it at the advice of the league’s public relations people, which drew the ire of Patrick and Engelbert’s critics.
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That report comes from Tom Friend of the Sports Business Journal, whose sources say that NBA commissioner Adam Silver had to persuade the WNBA commissioner, Cathy Engelbert, to act after Thomas hit Clark with a fist to the throat in a game on June 24.
“Silver did not address his role in the Thomas suspension Tuesday. But sources familiar with the situation said Engelbert initially believed during the evaluation process that — because no foul was called on the court against Thomas — a follow-up suspension seemed too steep of a discipline,” Friend reported.
“Meanwhile, those same sources said Silver believed there was clear evidence of a flagrant foul, that he felt badly for Clark and told Engelbert she had to act,” Friend added.
MORE: Caitlin Clark fans rip Jason Whitlock over recent ‘flop’ criticism
Ultimately, Thomas was suspended for one game, which was warranted based on the video evidence of the incident in which Thomas actually hit Clark with multiple cheap shots.
Engelbert has been heavily criticized for not doing enough to promote Clark despite her being the league’s biggest star.
The bigger knock on Engelbert has been her failure to protect Clark from cheap shots she has taken since entering the league, which many believe are a result of WNBA players being jealous of Clark’s immense popularity.
Not handing out discipline to Thomas would have been another prime example of that and, if this report is to be believed, Engelbert would have failed to protect Clark yet again if Silver hadn’t persuaded her to punish Thomas.
Cathy Engelbert’s future in doubt?
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Jun 11, 2026; Portland, Oregon, USA; WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert meets with the working media before Portland Fire against the Las Vegas Aces at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Jaime Valdez-Imagn Images
Friend’s report also paints an uncertain picture for Engelbert’s future as the commissioner.
According to Friend, the belief last year was that Engelbert would not last past the Collective Bargaining Agreement being passed, but that appears to have saved her job for now.
During a press conference at the NBA Summer League on Tuesday night, Silver was asked about Engelbert’s future.
MORE: Slo-Mo video of Caitlin Clark’s step-back 3-point is a must-see
While he went on to praise the WNBA commissioner for the job she has done, he also noted that, “We’ll have ongoing discussions about what the future looks like.”
Engelbert didn’t help her public persona recently when she ducked an interview with Dan Patrick while attending the American Century Championship golf tournament last week.
Engelbert had initially agreed to the interview before deciding against it at the advice of the league’s public relations people, which drew the ire of Patrick and Engelbert’s critics.
Continue reading...
