Posted on 07/16/2026 9:51:14 AM PDT by nickcarraway
The WNBA wasn’t going to suspend Alyssa Thomas after landing her fist on Caitlin Clark’s throat until the NBA got involved.
According to the Sports Business Journal, NBA commissioner Adam Silver had to implore WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert to suspend Thomas. A WNBA spokesperson told SBJ the report was “absolutely false.” Thomas was ultimately suspended one game and assessed a Flagrant 2 penalty while getting fined $1,000 for “recklessly making contact with her fist to the throat area.”
According to the report, Engelbert originally thought no foul called on the play originally made a suspension after the fact too steep of a penalty. Sources told SBJ Engelbert is in a difficult position trying to not show favoritism to Clark and trying to appease the players that feel overshadowed by her. They said they believe that the WNBA commissioner has gone too far trying not to prioritize the Fever’s star.
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
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The fact she made a fist prior to hitting Caitlin in the throat shows intent to harm. This was not a foul. This was an assault.
“If women’s basketball cannot survive financially without a subsidy, maybe there’s just not a big market for it.”
At least six professional women’s basketball leagues have failed in the United States since 1978. The only major circuit to achieve long-term survival is the WNBA, which was founded in 1996.The defunct leagues folded due to financial struggles, low attendance, or labor disputes.
Without appeasing the fans, there is no money in it for either league. The comparison of women’s playing capacity to men has been a major factor in the failures. Women are not as strong, fast, jump as high, or, the big need for the fans over the last 15 years, hit as hard. And the rules for men’s leagues have displayed an aptitude to enter rules that stretch this dynamic every year. And that’s what sells. So if comparing the league for marketing, guess what is going to be considered high priority? The only problem with the recognition of violence in the league is that in the NBA the play generally dictates the violence as part of the play. They have enforcers, but they can use brunt force to accomplish the goal. The women aren’t big enough and without an open right cross, they don’t hit hard enough to use the game as a immunity. They look like they do, but they get up like weebles. So the violence has to be something beyond fallout from the game.
“Sources told SBJ Engelbert is in a difficult position trying to not show favoritism to Clark and trying to appease the players that feel overshadowed by her.”
And this is the result of trying to stretch enough violence into the leagues to sell their product without ruining the game for the purity enthusiast. Where is the line drawn before it gets out of hand even if it was based on the game and not on the jealousy or ego of the players? And as for the comparison of each league against the other, I can’t remember any time of playing, officiating, running tournaments, and controlling leagues in my 65 year history of the game where a game had to be stopped because a player lost a hairpiece. Won’t be long till there will be a tech called on over-makeup. Right now, there is no rule covering makeup for WNBA players. But give it time as when it becomes profitable, it’s get in the book, at least, the case book.
wy69
They pounded Michael Jordan his first few years in the league.
They changed the rules aka "Jordan rules".
They're not doing that with Caitlin Clark so she'll quit and the WNBA will be irrelevant again just like that.
1) citing a report from another publication that the NBA commissioner stepped in.
2) The WNBA front office denies the report.
3) The NBA commissioner then speaks out of both sides of his mouth about the future of the WNBA commissioner while neither confirming or denying point #1.
This is why women teams are different from men's teams. Women are petty, mean, racist and vindictive instead of "good sports."
I'm a woman and not into sports, but I never got the impression that the teammates of outright stars like Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan, Tom Brady, etc. had to put up with petty jealousy and spiteful fouls in full view of the fans at almost every game.
Hat tip: Today's Toons 7/16/26 by pookie18
Ever heard of the Detroit Pistons? Their entire strategy was to bang the opposing star. It might not have been specific to Michael Jordan, but it certainly happened.
You're probably onto something with that analogy. Recall that the "Enforcer Era" of the NHL coincided with the first league expansion, when the NHL went from the original 6 all the way to 12 teams. An argument could be made that there wasn't enough pro hockey talent initially to staff 12 teams. Many players who were not the "full-package" two-way players suddenly found themselves in a league still dominated by the Gordie Howe type players (Goal, Assist & a Fight per night). A Bobby Clarke or a Marcel Dionne needed protection from the classic NHL stud players. Enter the Enforcers.
Face it: The WNBA similarly lacks the depth of talent as the early post-expansion NHL. But they do no lack for large females who can and will bang opposing players. Hence, Caitlin Clark gets knocked on her @ss on a nightly bases. Too much is made, IMO, of Sophie Cunningham defending CC. If she were a real enforcer she would dump one of these goons in a very definitive manner. But she really hasn't done anything but make the occasional situational "basketball play" retaliation and finger-point.
Sounds like the WNBA needs better refer-ettes
The NBA owners can structure their team and/or personal finances by factoring in a huge tax write off from subsidizing the failing WNBA.
Larry Bird was also the biggest trash talker in the NBA.
He did it purposely to get his opponents to make mistakes.
Pretty smart for a hick from French Lick.
Hate to sweep up after them. Ugh.
The New York Knicks were known for playing dirty as well.
But the league dealt with it tough penalties for violent behavior.
The NBA protected the stars that brought in the fans and sold Merch.
The WNBA should do the same. Injured stars don’t play. If the stars don’t play the fans stop coming.
I remember “Gentleman” Bill Laimbeer carefully guarding Mike.
“...until the NBA got involved”
Why should they take orders from MEN, particularly WHITE MEN (who run the NBA). Where is the Sisterhood?
...hmmm, oh never mind, I forgot, they’d go broke without money from the NBA.
... and that is why today’s NBA game is ‘soft’ and not as popular as it was in the 80’s & 90’s.
They don’t have to take orders from men. They can go solo and pay their won way.
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