'Utterly disrespectful': Fever coach Stephanie White calls out Mercury for 'cheap shots' on Caitlin Clark
Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark left her team's 111-109 loss to the Phoenix Mercury on Wednesday with a back injury after a series of controversial incidents, including a loose-ball scramble where Phoenix's Alyssa Thomas put her fist into Clark's neck.
It's unclear how long Clark may be sidelined, if at all. Fever coach Stephanie White did not have an update after the game, but said the team would be "careful" with Clark because it is a "long season." A furious White also went off on Thomas and the officials in an impassioned defense of her superstar guard.
White called Thomas' conduct "egregious and utterly disrespectful," and said that Clark was on the receiving end of "two cheap shots."
The first came with just under seven minutes to play in the second quarter. Clark tried to drive to the basket, but tripped over Lexi Held's foot and fell to the ground. After a brief scramble for the ball, she regained control and somehow flipped it out to Aliyah Boston, who missed a 3-pointer. Here's the play in real time from the broadcast:
A replay showed that while Clark was on the ground, Thomas drove her knee into Clark's thigh, then put her fist into Clark's neck. Thomas was not called for a foul.
Alyssa Thomas with the fist to Caitlin Clark's throat. Play on, of course. pic.twitter.com/EdcOY6zgKc
— Heavens! (@HeavensFX) June 25, 2026
"I just saw it. I'm not sure if it had any impact on her health or not, but it was egregious," White said. "The fact that it was a no-call. I heard about it at halftime. I brought it to the attention of the officials at halftime, yet we still had 11 fouls in the fourth quarter to their two? They still shot 24 free throws in the second half?
"Number one, you gotta call it. It's absolutely egregious and utterly disrespectful," White continued. "And then number two, you're aware of what happened two nights ago, and that shit still happens? Absolutely unacceptable. Absolutely unacceptable. And the reckless closeout that they actually reviewed? And the foot still comes down on the defender's foot that wasn't upgraded? Absolutely disrespectful. We have a generational talent and a WNBA superstar who had two cheap shots right there that weren't called. And I just say again: absolutely unacceptable."
Here’s White after I asked about Clark’s injury and the fist to the neck, then @RomeovilleKid follows up: https://t.co/r1EoDrGYxi pic.twitter.com/erKYxS0JZL
— Tony East (@TonyREast) June 25, 2026
A few possessions later, Clark took a pass from Sophie Cunningham in semi-transition and pulled up for 3. Mercury forward Valeriane Ayayi got underneath her and was called for a landing space foul. The officials went to the monitor to review the play, but decided not to upgrade it to a flagrant. Clark was grabbing at her back in the aftermath, but remained in the game at that point.
Wednesday's incidents came after a physical matchup between the two teams on Monday, which the Fever won. Five players, including Thomas, Clark and DeWanna Bonner -- who left the Fever under controversial circumstances last season -- were called for technical fouls during that game, and Myisha Hines-Allen was ejected.
Clark checked out of Wednesday's game and went to the locker room with 5:15 remaining in the third quarter. She did not return, and finished with 19 points and eight assists in 20 minutes, ending her record streak of 20-point, five-assist outings at six games.
"We spent all offseason looking at officiating. All offseason," White said. "And I still say the one thing that we keep asking for is consistency. She is not called the same way everybody else is called."
Caitlin Clark blasts refs over technical foul in Fever's win: 'You just don't like competitive basketball' Jack Maloney
Clark, who was limited to 13 games last season due to an array of lower-body injuries, has dealt with back issues all season. She went to the locker room during their opener to get her back adjusted, and later missed a game against the Portland Fire on May 20 due to her back, even though she had not been listed on the injury report. The Fever were issued a warning by the league, and Clark has since been continually listed as probable, though she has not missed any time since then.
White said she wanted to come out and forcefully stick up for Clark after this game because the contact was "so egregious."
"The fist in the throat is crazy. It's crazy. It's dangerous," White said. "The landing spot? When you went to review it, and she still comes down on top of another foot? I don't know. Because to me that's like a do-over on a test, how do you screw it up again? When you have these things continue to happen time and time and time and time again, eventually it gets frustrating."
Add CBS Sports on GoogleBadenoch blasts 'moaning' female Labour MPs over Burnham jobs 'quota'
Kemi Badenoch has told Labour women to earn a job in Andy Burnham's Cabinet instead of demanding they are handed jobs because of their gender.
The Tory leader lashed out today amid reports that female MPs are demanding the de-facto new prime minister introduce a 50:50 gender split 'quota' in his government.
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister also complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts.
But in a scathing article in the Times today Mrs Badenoch told them to 'stop moaning' and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'.
'There are many, many reasons why you shouldn't have any Milibands in the cabinet,' she said.
'But complaining that the boys haven't given them the right jobs or that the boys are taking all the jobs, just shows that Labour's women still don't get it.'
The idea of quotas was also attacked by Baroness Jacqui Smith, Labour's Skills Minister.
Asked by Times Radio if Mr Burnham should reserve jobs for women, she said: 'No, I think what Andy Burnham should be doing is building the very best team around him to change this country.'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband (above, right, in 2010) is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts
But Mrs Badenoch told them to pipe down and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party and seen by the BBC has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs after he succeeds Sir Keir Starmer.
'We are asking you to demonstrate this change from day one and address the toxicity and misogyny within our own party and government,' it said.
Labour has never had a female leader, while the Conservatives have had three, and Mrs Badenoch urged the government to follow its meritocratic example.
'If you run a meritocracy, then you do not have to worry about jobs for the boys,' she wrote.
'Every woman who is a Conservative MP, every woman who has ever won the leadership, has had to fight to get where she is.
'By contrast, Labour women are demanding guarantees from Burnham. But the truth is he doesn't have to give any guarantees.
'If none of Labour's women are prepared to get their hands dirty and challenge him for the leadership, their demands are toothless.'
'In fact, it's quite revealing that the women's parliamentary Labour Party has written to Burnham asking him to commit himself to at least 50 per cent female ministers.
'This has nothing to do with meritocracy. It is yet more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country.'
Venezuela Fury and Noah Price subsidising their life by livestreaming
Venezuela Fury and her husband Noah Price look to be making their own way in the world by raking it in from their lucrative social media accounts.
The influencer daughter of Tyson and Paris Fury, 16, has become an internet sensation after tying the knot with her husband Noah, 19, earlier this year.
Since getting married and moving in together the couple have been earning thousands of pounds a month, livestreaming their life as newlyweds in their static caravan in the East Riding of Yorkshire.
And fans can't get enough of their regular life updates on TikTok and Kick, which have proved to be very profitable for the pair.
They look to be supporting themselves after Noah denied that he was given £5million by Venezuela's family as a wedding gift.
Despite his wife's huge family wealth, an estimated combined £160 million, Noah recently told his Kick followers that he 'pays for everything' for the couple.
Making light of the claims about Venezuela's millionaire financial status, Noah said: 'I actually pay for everything unfortunately. You'd expect the millionaire to pay for it wouldn't you.'
Venezuela Fury and Noah Price are earning thousands livestreaming their caravan life - after her new groom insisted he pays all the bills and denied he had £5m handout from her dad
The influencer daughter of Tyson and Paris Fury , 16, has become an internet sensation after tying the knot with her husband Noah, 19, earlier this year
Venezuela then asked their fans: 'Do you think I am a millionaire?'
Noah joked: 'She isn't a secret millionaire guys', before she broke into song and sang: 'But I live like a millionaire!'
But it seems according to estimated calculations from their social media work, Noah and Venezuela can more than afford to support themselves.
Noah has been livestreaming on platforms such as Kick and TikTok, where viewers can send paid gifts or donations.
He was previously encouraging viewers to send gifts on his honeymoon during livestreams, suggesting this is one revenue stream.
Both Noah and Venezuela have built substantial followings on Instagram and TikTok. They can potentially earn money through sponsored posts, brand collaborations, affiliate links and creator payouts.
Kick allows its creators to take home 95 per cent of the £4.99 subscription cost that fans pay.
Streamers keep 100 per cent of direct tips and donations, minus minor standard payment processing fees.
It is unclear how many subscribers Noah currently has because this information is hidden, but he does have 7,200 followers which is publicly viewable.
An industry insider has suggested Noah is making around £400 per video on TikTok, while Venezuela is likely to make £2,000 due to her following count of 1.3 million.
An industry insider has suggested Noah is making around £400 per video on TikTok, while Venezuela is likely to make £2,000 due to her following count of 1.3 million
In one video on their honeymoon, Noah asked his followers if they'd give them some more gifts now that they were married.
In a TikTok live viewed by 20,000 he said: 'Keep liking our videos people, keep sending gifts.'
After saying thank you to several of his followers he joked they should stick around on the livestream and 'watch Venezuela punch me in the mouth'.
The other half of the honeymooning couple said: 'I am, honestly!'
Noah previously confirmed that the pair don't share their finances after they were asked whether they have a shared bank account.
'She earns her money, I earn mine,' said Noah, as Venezuela joked: 'Yeah, what you gonna do about it.'
Noah went on to debunk the rumour that Tyson gave him £5million when he tied the knot with his daughter as he insisted: 'No Tyson did not give me £5million'.
Meanwhile Venezuela is being eyed up by executives for a fly on the wall TV series.
Noah went on to debunk the rumour that Tyson gave him £5million when he tied the knot with his daughter as he insisted: 'No Tyson did not give me £5million'
Boasting 1.3 million TikTok followers, Venezuela is already entertaining fans with her honest musings and candid moments, from cooking to kitting out her and Noah's static caravan home.
And following the success of the Netflix series At Home With The Furys, it is no wonder bosses are wanting to draw on the Fury popularity.
A TV insider said: 'The couple are not A-list celebrities but everyone has become obsessed with their love story.
'People are genuinely intrigued by them. Whether it’s the fact they have married so young, Venezuela’s famous family or their gypsy lifestyle, they have the ‘X factor'.
'Several TV executives think a proper fly-on-the-wall series following their lives as newlyweds in the gypsy community would be fascinating,' they told The Sun.
It is thought Netflix would be likely to produce the series due to their already established relationship with the Furys.
Venezuela's representatives told The Daily Mail: 'We have many offers on the table regarding Venezuela which we are discussing.'
