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According to the report, Engelbert originally thought no foul called on the play originally made a suspension after the fact too steep of a penalty.
The report also claimed Silver felt there was clear evidence of a flagrant foul, and felt badly for Clark, telling Engelbert she had to act.
League ref ops and basketball ops reportedly commonly make suggestions on potential flagrant foul calls, doing so again after the Thomas-Clark situation.
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.
The same sources told the SBJ that Silver stepping in is a sign that Engelbert could be on her way out as commissioner.
Silver was asked on Tuesday during the NBA Summer League if they have taken a look at Engelbert’s future and praised the WNBA commissioner for the league’s progress under her and said “I think Cathy continues to do a strong job building that league.”
He did end, however, saying “we’ll have ongoing discussions about what the future looks like.”
Engelbert also made headlines last week after she cancelled an interview with “The Dan Patrick Show” because her public relations team made her.
After promoting the show all week, Dan Patrick said he and his team “waited almost two hours” for Engelbert, but were instead greeted with a “feeble” response from the WNBA well after the interview should have taken place.
