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.”
“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.”
https://sports.yahoo.com/wnba-playoffs-alyssa-thomas-calls-for-fever-league-to-rein-in-racism-social-media-discourse-from-fans-040829705.html
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