Alyssa Thomas of the Sun is angry about the alleged racism of Fever fans: “There is no room for this”

Connecticut Sun players are opening up about the vitriol they have faced this season, particularly from fans of Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever.

After the Sun defeated the Fever 87-81 in the second game of the first round of the WNBA playoffs, Alyssa Thomas called on her fans to help her in a sharp statement to reporters.

“I don’t think I’ve ever heard racist comments like that from Indiana Fever fans in my 11-year career,” Thomas said. “It’s honestly unacceptable and there’s no place for it. We’ve conducted ourselves professionally the whole time, but I’ve never been abused like I was on social media and there’s no place for that. Basketball is going in a great direction, but we don’t want fans demeaning us and calling us racist things.

“We already see what’s happening in the world and what we have to deal with in that regard. We play basketball, that’s our job, and it’s fun, but we don’t want to go to work every day and have social media buzzing about things like that. It’s inappropriate and something has to be done, whether it’s vetting their fans or the league, there’s no time left for that.”

Thomas, who scored 19 points and recorded 13 assists to give the Sun a two-game sweep, is not the first WNBA player to call out fans of the Fever or Clark for inappropriate comments.

Earlier this summer, Angel Reese said on her podcast that Clark fans had sent her death threats and made racist comments about her, but at the same time made sure to absolve Clark of any responsibility for what her fans had said and done.

Former WNBA player Renee Montgomery spoke out against some of the “vicious” Clark fans who have attacked other players.

“I’m talking about a certain group that is motivated by hate and destruction, and if that’s not you, then this isn’t about you,” she said on her podcast. “The fans don’t even seem to care about Caitlin… they’re just on social media and ready to fight.”

The WNBA’s newfound popularity that came with Clark’s arrival in the league increased ratings and interest, but also led to a flood of negative commentary.

Clark was at times the target of negative comments and exaggerated criticism.

A fan was briefly removed from his seat during Wednesday night’s game for apparently saying something to Clark during the game.

The league released a statement late Wednesday night condemning racist and derogatory language, but has been criticized for the way it handled the issue throughout most of the season.

“The WNBA is a competitive league featuring some of the best athletes in the world. While we welcome a growing fan base, the WNBA does not tolerate racist, derogatory or threatening comments about players, teams and anyone associated with the league,” the league’s statement said. “League security actively monitors threat-related activity and will work directly with teams and stadiums to take appropriate action, including involving law enforcement when necessary.”

Fever coach Christie Sides also sharply criticized the behavior of some fans.

“There’s a lot of hurtful, hateful speech out there – and that’s unacceptable,” Sides said in her postgame comments. “That’s not acceptable for any of these guys.”