Dan Dakich Blasts 1-Game Ban Response After Alyssa Thomas Hit Caitlin Clark

1 articles · Updated · Fox News · Jul 1

Dan Dakich said Alyssa Thomas and other WNBA players were dodging responsibility after Thomas, suspended one game, said players were being painted as “thugs” following her June 24 hit on Caitlin Clark.
Thomas told reporters she and some teammates did not realize the play had become a major controversy until after Phoenix’s win, and said players had received death threats that required a stronger league response.
WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert condemned hate and said the league and security staff were in contact with the Mercury, but Dakich and reporter Christine Brennan faulted the league for not issuing an equally forceful statement centered on Clark.
Brennan argued the throat-contact image could define the league’s Clark era, underscoring a broader claim in the segment that the WNBA has benefited from Clark’s ratings and revenue boost while still struggling to manage the attention around her.