The Sun are headed to the semifinals of the WNBA Playoffs after a two-game sweep of the Fever. But racist comments from fans soured the series, according to Connecticut star Alyssa Thomas.
The 32-year-old followed up a triple-double in Game 1 with 19 points and 13 rebounds in the series-clinching Game 2. After Game 2, Thomas opened up about the racism and harmful rhetoric she and her teammates experienced during their games against Indiana.
In addition to private comments and messages on social media, much of the vile rhetoric directed at Connecticut players has been shared on open internet forums and even put on public display. Despite Game 2 taking place at the Sun's home arena, fans in attendance crossed the line with disrespectful mockery of DiJonai Carrington's appearance.
Here is more on what Thomas had to say about the behavior from Indiana fans and what the WNBA has said in response.
MORE: What happened between Caitlin Clark and Sun fan during Game 2?
Alyssa Thomas calls out Indiana Fever fans for racist comments
"I think in my 11-year career, I've never experienced the racial comments (like) from the Indiana Fever fan base," Thomas told reporters after Wednesday's game.
"It's unacceptable, honestly, and there's no place for it. 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. Basketball is headed in a great direction, but we don't want fans that are going to degrade us and call us racial things.
"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. It's uncalled for and something needs to be done, whether it's them checking their fans or the league, there's no time for it anymore."
Alyssa Thomas called out the hate that Sun players have faced from the Fever fanbase, saying she’s never experienced these type of racial comments before:
— Noa Dalzell 🏀 (@NoaDalzell) September 26, 2024
“It’s uncalled for, and something needs to be done, whether it’s them checking their fans, or the league.” pic.twitter.com/qpqhkThW1p
Thomas also referenced the disrespectful usage of teammate Carrington's likeness in a Photoshopped image circulated on X (formerly Twitter).
Thomas' statement follows after Carrington's August assertion that the Fever "have the nastiest fans in the W." Ahead of Game 2, Carrington took to Instagram to share an email in which she was called a racial slur, seemingly in response to her inadvertent poke of Caitlin Clark's eye in Game 1.
Connecticut head coach Stephanie White also spoke at length on the deeply rooted issues that the league's players continuously deal with.
We've seen a lot of racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, throughout the course of our country. Sport is no exception, and it's unacceptable to be quite honest. …
I think the thing that frustrates me the most is that we in the media have to do a better job of not allowing trolls on social media to become the story. I feel like we have allowed trolls in social media to frame the narrative of what the story is, and it's unacceptable. It's unacceptable, and we have to do a better job. I realized that everybody's job is predicated on what's read, what's clicked on, what's watched. I understand that, but I also feel like we have a responsibility to be better when it comes to what we're representing. …
When it comes to, I don't want to say protecting, because these women don't need protected, but when it comes to making sure that that the narrative is about what we do, and it's not about who's being attacked, how they're being attacked, and we make that newsworthy. I applaud our team for maintaining their professionalism not just our team, it's a lot of teams in our league. It's a lot of athletes, not just in our league, who get attacked like this. So I applaud the professionalism. We continue to encourage them to silence the noise, control what they can control.
Stephanie White spoke extensively on the hate her players (and other W players) have faced:
— Noa Dalzell 🏀 (@NoaDalzell) September 26, 2024
“We in the media have to do a better job of not allowing trolls in social media to become the story. I feel like we have allowed trolls in social media to frame the narrative of what the… pic.twitter.com/DnnS0DINlC
The volume — and nature — of these comments have increasingly become a safety issue for the players, as outlined by Chicago's Angel Reese.
WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert came under fire for how she initially addressed these issues, focusing on the prevalence of rivalries and not speaking on racism and hate. Engelbert later took to X in an attempt to clarify her statement.
During a recent media interview, I was asked about the dark side of social media and online conversation about WNBA rivalries and race. To be clear, there is absolutely no place for hate or racism of any kind in the WNBA or anywhere else.
— Cathy Engelbert (@CathyEngelbert) September 11, 2024
Weeks later, the WNBA continues to face the same issue with Fever fans again at the center.
WNBA statement
Here is a statement shared by the WNBA shortly after the conclusion of the playoff series between Indiana and Connecticut.
The WNBA is a competitive league with some of the most elite athletes in the world. 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.
