NBA commissioner Adam Silver took the conversation around WNBA star Caitlin Clark in a broader direction Thursday, saying the real issue isn’t about foul calls — it’s about how she’s been turned into a “political football” in America.
Silver made the remarks while speaking on a panel at the Game Plan Summit in New York, presented by CNBC and Boardroom. The Indiana Fever guard has been a lightning rod for controversy since entering the league in 2024, when she quickly became one of the biggest draws in women’s basketball, boosting both ticket sales and TV ratings.
The debate over physicality and officiating reached a boiling point on June 24, when Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas struck Clark in the neck with a closed fist during a loose-ball play in the second quarter. No foul was called during the game, which Phoenix won 111-109. After the game, however, the WNBA issued Thomas a retroactive flagrant foul, a one-game suspension, and a $1,000 fine, determining she had “recklessly made contact with her fist” to Clark’s throat.
Thomas called the contact accidental, but said she and her family were subsequently subjected to death threats, harassment, and racist abuse — adding another layer to growing concerns about player safety and online conduct surrounding the league.
“Ultimately, the issues around Caitlin Clark are not largely about officiating,” Silver said at the summit. “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.”
Silver declined to address a Sports Business Journal report suggesting he pressured WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert to suspend Thomas, saying weighing in would be unfair to both Engelbert and Clark.
“What people are trying to make a larger issue (about) is not (whether) that was a flagrant foul or not,” Silver added. He also acknowledged that WNBA officiating needs improvement, saying there is “no doubt about it.”
Clark herself addressed the situation in early July, speaking out against “the harassment, the hate.” She said, “None of that is OK. That goes for the opposing teams we play, that goes for my teammates, that goes for my coaches.”
Fever head coach Stephanie White echoed those concerns, pointing to a noticeable increase in “toxicity, racism, homophobia” and other hateful commentary directed at players, especially on social media.
Engelbert, also appearing as a panelist at Thursday’s New York event, said, “The vitriol and everything that our players receive … is unacceptable.” She highlighted league efforts to combat harassment and bolster security at team events. Engelbert also described off-season steps to improve officiating, including a committee made up of players, college coaches, general managers, and officials, as well as a task force dedicated to reviewing game film for on-court physicality concerns.
