Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas said she has received death threats and been called racial slurs following an in-game incident last week involving Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark.
According to ESPN, Thomas spoke about the threats she received in the aftermath of the incident. The situation drew significant attention and reaction on social media and beyond, directed at Thomas.
The original on-court incident between Thomas and Clark occurred during a WNBA game last week. The specifics of what happened on the floor became secondary in the days that followed as attention turned to the response Thomas received from the public.
Thomas is a veteran forward who has been one of the WNBA's most consistent players over her career. The threats and slurs she described represent an escalation from typical online criticism into territory that players and the league will likely have to address directly.
Clark has become one of the most visible figures in American professional sports since entering the WNBA. The intense attention surrounding her games has at times spilled over into hostility directed at other players involved in physical or contested moments with her.
Thomas's decision to speak publicly about the death threats and racial slurs puts the issue on record. What response the league or other players make to her account remains to be seen.
