Phoenix Mercury coach Nate Tibbetts expressed his disappointment in the suspension of star player Alyssa Thomas. The WNBA handed Thomas a one-game suspension for her actions during a Mercury game against the Indiana Fever.
Incident Details
Thomas was seen making contact with her fist to the throat area of Fever guard Caitlin Clark as Clark laid on the court. No foul was called on the play, and Fever coach Stephanie White called the play a “cheap shot.” Tibbetts defended his player and expressed dismay over not having a chance to provide the WNBA his version of events.
“I’d like to hit on my disappointment in the suspension process by our league and our leaders in the W,” Tibbetts said. “This was not a thorough investigation in my opinion. The people involved were not questioned at all.” The incident occurred with 6:52 left in the second quarter of the Mercury’s 111-109 triumph over host Indiana.
Thomas served the suspension as Phoenix defeated the Toronto Tempo, 89-80, and her teammates came to her defense in postgame interviews. “We’re with AT,” guard Kahleah Copper said. “We just wish it would have been handled the right way. We wish somebody also called her and checked on her and made sure that she was okay. I don’t think it played out how it should have professionally.”
Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
