Sports commentator Dan Dakich, 63, publicly called out WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert, head of officials Sue Blanch, and Indiana Fever management after Alyssa Thomas struck Caitlin Clark in the throat during Indiana's 111-109 loss to the Phoenix Mercury — with no foul called in real time. Thomas was later assessed a Flagrant Foul 2 and suspended for "recklessly making contact with her fist to the throat area"; Clark left the game injured. Clark, averaging 21.2 points, 8.2 assists, and 4.0 rebounds across 17 games for the 10-8 Fever, will miss Friday's 8 p.m. ET game against the Los Angeles Sparks.
What Happened on the Court
The contact occurred while Clark was on the floor following a scrum. Thomas struck her in the throat; no foul was whistled during live play. After review, the WNBA upgraded the call to a Flagrant Foul 2 and suspended Thomas, citing the "reckless" fist-to-throat contact. Clark exited with an injury and is listed out for Friday's game in Los Angeles.
Dakich's Charges Against the League and Fever Front Office
Speaking on OutKick's "Dan Dakich Unfiltered," Dakich said he would contact the league office and named Engelbert and Blanch directly, calling the league's handling of the situation "complete bulls---." He separately criticized Fever COO and general manager Amber Cox for staying publicly silent — noting he found no public statement from Cox defending Clark — while praising head coach Stephanie White as the one Fever official he did not fault.
Dakich attributed officiating failures to DEI hiring practices, an accusation he said extended to the NBA, NFL, and college basketball, though he placed the WNBA "at the forefront." He also made racially charged remarks about why both the league and the Fever's front office had not spoken more forcefully — comments that drew immediate attention beyond the officiating critique itself. He called on Indiana to put a physical "enforcer" on the court and said any comparable future incident should trigger a bench-clearing confrontation, referencing the 2004 NBA "Malice at the Palace" as a benchmark.
Clark's Season Line and Fever Record
Clark has appeared in 17 of Indiana's 18 games, posting 21.2 points, 8.2 assists, and 4.0 rebounds per contest. The Fever stand at 10-8. Friday's tipoff against Los Angeles Sparks is set for 8 p.m. ET, with Clark sidelined.