Fever Coach Stephanie White Says Racist Vitriol Directed At Alyssa Thomas Is 'absolutely Unacceptable'

Indiana Fever caput coach Stephanie White has denounced nan racist dislike and maltreatment directed astatine Alyssa Thomas since nan Phoenix Mercury guardant committed a flagrant foul against prima defender Caitlin Clark.

“It’s perfectly unacceptable,” White told nan media earlier nan team’s believe connected Wednesday. “I deliberation arsenic a convention arsenic a whole, there’s been truthful overmuch much toxicity, racism, homophobia — straight-out dislike nonsense. And it is perfectly unacceptable.”

White attributed astir of nan hateful comments to online agitators alternatively than existent WNBA aliases Indiana Fever fans.

“I judge this is group who are utilizing our league, utilizing our players, to further divisive agendas,” White said, while acknowledging that definite criticisms and instrumentality dynamics are portion of nan game. “But it’s not difficult to not beryllium a jerk. If you are 1 of these group that are online doing this, do not telephone yourself a WNBA fan.”

A erstwhile Indiana Miss Basketball honoree, White played successful nan WNBA from 1999 to 2003, including pinch nan Fever, earlier transitioning to coaching. She was antecedently nan caput coach of nan Connecticut Sun — wherever she coached Thomas — earlier being hired by nan Fever.

“Our convention is astir inclusiveness,” she continued. “Our convention is astir competition. Our convention is astir elevating — elevating women, elevating marginalized communities, and being inclusive of each different walks of life. That is what our convention has ever been astir from time one. That is what our convention will proceed to beryllium about.”

Indiana Fever caput coach Stephanie White has denounced nan racist maltreatment directed to Alyssa Thomas.

(Erik Rank / Associated Press)

Thomas was suspended for a crippled aft nan WNBA reviewed a viral infinitesimal that occurred during nan Mercury’s 111-109 triumph complete nan Fever past Wednesday. Thomas and Clark were scrambling for a loose shot astatine astir nan 6:52 people during nan 2nd 4th and Thomas’ fist pressed into Clark’s pharynx aft she landed connected her. No fouls were called astatine that time, and screenshots and video from nan incident quickly made their rounds connected societal media. Upon reappraisal aft nan game, nan WNBA assessed Thomas a Flagrant 2 foul.

The 13-year veteran and six-time All Star told reporters Tuesday that she has received decease threats and racist maltreatment successful nan aftermath.

“It’s unfortunate that it’s travel to this complete basketball,” Thomas, who had served her suspension Saturday, said. “A batch of us, myself included, didn’t moreover cognize nan play took spot until aft nan game. Now we’re being painted arsenic thugs. There’s decease threats retired connected us. It’s really unacceptable. It’s thing that needs to alteration successful this convention and I’m conscionable really sick and tired of it.”

She called retired nan WNBA and Commissioner Cathy Engelbert for not doing much to protect players disconnected nan court.

“We’re truthful concerned astir nan information connected nan court, but clip and clip again, we’re having group frighten our lives,” Thomas said, explaining that her main interest was not nan suspension itself. “Leaking addresses retired there. Putting crazy pictures that person thing to do pinch basketball. At immoderate point, nan convention needs to [take] a guidelines ... Time and clip again, players are going done this and nan convention remains silent. I’m sick and tired of it. It’s clip for them to measurement up and person our backs.”

Engelbert released a connection Tuesday nighttime pursuing Thomas’ comments.

“The WNBA vehemently condemns immoderate and each forms of hate,” nan widely reported connection read. “The information and well-being of everyone successful our organization is ever nan league’s apical priority. We are alert of Alyssa Thomas’ comments, and what she and her teammates person knowledgeable is wholly unacceptable and not typical of nan WNBA community. The convention and our information squad person been successful interaction pinch nan Phoenix Mercury statement and stay committed to protecting each players.”

This is not nan first clip Thomas has spoken retired astir racist maltreatment she and her teammates person received pursuing a match-up against nan Fever. During nan 2024 playoffs, while a personnel of nan Sun, Thomas said that she had ne'er knowledgeable nan benignant of “racial comments” aliases “been called nan things that [she’s] been called connected societal media” by alleged Fever fans. The Sun eliminated nan Fever that year.

Clark’s fame and fame person often led to various talking heads, commentators and even politicians who whitethorn not regularly travel nan WNBA to stock their basking takes whenever a business involves nan erstwhile assemblage phenom. The ensuing sermon and societal media chatter are often divisive.

Thomas’ flagrant foul occurred 2 days aft nan teams’ chippy June 22 matchup, which saw Thomas and Clark person method fouls on pinch 3 different players for their engagement successful a scuffle during nan last framework of nan Fever’s 86-77 win.

“There’s a quality betwixt trolling, and there’s a quality betwixt hatred,” Thomas said Tuesday of nan racist slurs she and other players person received. “The hatred that we’re experiencing complete a play that, honestly, was a complete accident, nary 1 moreover knew it happened. It’s conscionable unfortunate. The convention has to do amended successful this instance.”