WNBA playoffs: Alyssa Thomas calls for Fever, league to rein in racism, social media discourse from fans

UNCASVILLE, Conn. — Connecticut Sun All-Star Alyssa Thomas, head coach Stephanie White and Indiana head coach Christie Sides directly addressed the heated social media discourse and racism players have experienced this season in the WNBA after the Sun won their first-round series at Mohegan Sun Arena on Wednesday.

“Honestly, it’s been a lot of nonsense,” Thomas said. “I think in my 11-year career, I’ve never experienced [anything like] the racial comments from the Indiana Fever fan base. … It’s uncalled for and something needs to be done, whether it’s them checking their fans, or this league checking [it], there’s no time for it anymore.”

The league released a statement on X minutes after the media availability for the Fever and Sun ended. During the game, a fan was escorted out of a courtside seat briefly after Fever rookie Caitlin Clark reported the fan to the officials in the first quarter.

“The WNBA is a competitive league with some of the most elite athletes in the world,” the statement read. “While we welcome a growing fan base, the WNBA will not tolerate racist, derogatory, or threatening comments made about players, teams and anyone affiliated with the league. League security is actively monitoring threat-related activity and will work directly with teams and arenas to take appropriate measures, to include involving law enforcement, as necessary.”

Thomas’ answer was prompted by a question about the professionalism of the Sun to “push out the noise.” Sun wing DiJonai Carrington shared on social media earlier Wednesday a screenshot she said was an email sent to her. It used a racial epithet and the sender hoped someone “rapes you and cuts your head off.” Carrrington fouled Clark in Game 1 on Sunday by hitting her in the eye. Both she and Clark were asked about it at practice on Tuesday and said it was unintentional. It was covered by sports outlets as well as national news and entertainment.

“We’ve been professional throughout the whole entire thing, but I’ve never been called the things that I’ve been called on social media, and there’s no place for it,” Thomas said. “Basketball is headed in a great direction, but we don’t want fans that are going to degrade us and call us racial names. I mean, we already see what’s happening in the world and what we have to deal with in that aspect. We come to play basketball for our job, and it’s fun, but we don’t want to go to work every day and have social media blown up over things like that.”

The negative discourse on social media grew throughout the season with much of it centered on plays and moments that involved Clark. The Fever opened the season in Connecticut to a record 2.1 million viewers across ESPN’s platforms who tuned in to see the best scorer in NCAA history. Carrington guarded Clark, forcing her into 10 turnovers in her debut, and cameras caught Carrington mocking a flop motion. Other players who have been involved in physicality with Clark have also said they received comments directed at them.

“Sport is a microcosm of life and of society,” White said. “We’ve seen a lot of racism, sexism, homophobia [and] transphobia throughout the course of our country. Sport is no exception, and it’s unacceptable to be quite honest.”

White is a TV analyst in the WNBA offseason and said the media collectively needs to “do a better job of not allowing trolls in social media to become a story.” She said the narratives should be “about what we do and it’s not about who’s being attacked [and] how they’re being attacked.”

“The narrative doesn’t need to be controlled by people who are just, you know, on their keyboards, spewing hate and negative vitriol everywhere,” she said. She added it’s not only her team, athletes or just the WNBA where this happens.

Sides, Clark and Aliyah Boston met with reporters before the Sun’s availability. They have also been at the center of social media discourse, particularly during their 1-9 start to the season and from people angry at the hateful comments made toward opponents. Boston said she deleted social media at the beginning of the year because of the comments.

Sides was asked what was important for her to say in the locker room after the loss and said she was proud of them for growth amid the adversity and outside noise they faced “from Game 1 [of the season] until now,” including “made-up” stories.

“It’s a lot of hurtful, hateful speech out there and attacking,” Sides said. “And it’s unacceptable. It’s unacceptable for any of these guys. This is basketball and it’s their job, and they’re doing the best they can. And when it gets personal, to me, that is just when, there’s no reason for it.”

The WNBA Players Association and individual players spoke out against commissioner Cathy Engelbert earlier this month after an appearance on CNBC. Engelbert was asked about the “darker” and “more menacing” tone taken toward fans this year on social media. Engelbert later responded to the criticism and wrote on social media, “to be clear, there is absolutely no place for hate or racism of any kind in the WNBA or anywhere else.”

Clark has also spoken out against the racist and misogynistic comments when asked in June.