Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark stepped forward Friday to condemn the rising tide of hostility being directed at players throughout the WNBA, calling out harassment aimed at herself, her teammates, her coaches, and even opposing players.
Clark’s remarks came after nearly a week of fallout following Indiana’s June 24 matchup with the Phoenix Mercury, during which Alyssa Thomas made contact with Clark’s throat. Thomas was later handed a one-game suspension. In the aftermath, Thomas revealed she had been subjected to death threats and racist abuse — a disclosure that sparked a broader conversation about player safety and the state of online behavior surrounding the league.
“The harassment, the hate. None of that is OK,” Clark stated. “That goes for the opposing teams we play, that goes for my teammates, that goes for my coaches.”
Clark acknowledged that scrutiny of on-court performance is a natural part of professional athletics, but she drew a firm line at attacks targeting a player’s character or personal identity.
“There should never be question of character,” Clark said. “That’s truly what I believe, that’s how I was raised. So, none of that is OK and I don’t want anyone to experience that.”
Fever head coach Stephanie White also spoke out against the atmosphere surrounding the situation, pointing to a troubling rise in what she described as “toxicity, racism, homophobia” and other forms of hateful commentary, especially across social media platforms.
Clark also expressed frustration that the incident continued to dominate sports coverage days after the game took place, saying it was doing a disservice to the rest of the league.
“When I turned the TV on Sunday, and that game was on Wednesday and that’s all people were talking about,” Clark said. “I feel like that’s such a disservice to the rest of our league.”
The WNBA has been expanding its player safety efforts in recent seasons, introducing tools designed to track and respond to online threats, along with increased mental health support resources for players.
As for Clark’s playing status, she remains out due to a back injury. She did practice on Friday and expressed optimism about returning soon, though she will not be available when the Fever travel to face the Las Vegas Aces on Sunday. Through 17 games this season, Clark is averaging 21.2 points, 8.2 assists, and 4.0 rebounds per game.
