It’s looking like Alyssa Thomas and the Phoenix Mercury are going to be fined because she uh she just said nah. She just said nah. And I’m sorry like you can’t have all the smoke. You cannot you cannot be there chirping with fans the whole game. You cannot be allegedly telling fans Dana chose to join a real basketball team.
 
You cannot be saying stuff like that and then hide. Alyssa Thomas thought she could talk trash to Indiana Fever fans, storm off the court after losing, and skip her mandatory media obligations without consequences. Wrong. The WNBA is about to hit her and the Phoenix Mercury with fines for breaking league rules. And the karma couldn’t be more perfect.
 
And it look like Alyssa Thomas will be getting fined for doing this in Indianapolis, guys, for this one here. Do you think Alyssa Thomas deserved to get fined for skipping the mandatory media availability after losing to the fever? Alyssa Thomas just learned that actions have consequences the hard way. And honestly, it’s about time.
In a tightly contested showdown at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Wednesday night, the Phoenix Mercury fell 17101 to the Indiana Fever despite a season best performance from forward Alyssa Thomas. But this story isn’t about her great performance. It’s about what happened after the game that’s got everyone talking. So, Alyssa Thomas had all the smoke.
 

All the schmoke for the Fever fans. That’s all I’m going to say. Like, it wasn’t just it wasn’t just like um just normal smoke. It wasn’t just normal beef. It was what people from the country will call Dublin. She had the big schmoke. She had the big smoke. like she absolutely had all the beef for she, you know, let the fans hear it, all of this stuff.
Satu there telling the fans to keep up the booze and what did they do? They lost. Let’s break down exactly what went wrong for Thomas and why she’s now facing punishment from the league. Thomas dropped in 32 points, 15 rebounds, and seven assists in 34 minutes of action, hitting 63.6% 6% of her shots from the field, leading all scorers and notching her first 30-point game of the year.
She had an absolutely monster game, and her team still lost. That’s got to sting. But here’s where it gets really interesting. It was Thomas’ actions after the game, however, that are now under the spotlight. After the final horn, fans noticed Thomas was nowhere to be found for her mandatory media availability under the WNBA’s 2025 season media access policy.
She just disappeared. Poof. Gone. Like she was never there. Understand how a player in a professional sport can ever think that someone who left a team and left the team in a lurch like Dana Bonner left the Indiana Fever in a time of adversity when multiple players were injured. They had to sign hardship contracts and instead of saying, “Hey, this isn’t working out.
 
” after nine games, mind you, did not give it much time. Nine games was it. That’s all she played with the Indiana Fever. Asking for a trade and not traveling with your team after asking for something to be worked out. And then, not only that, pretty much forcing your way onto the Phoenix Mercury, which is a title contending team and a team with her life partner on it.
 
It just sounds very like I can get what I want when I want. And it doesn’t matter what happens. And yes, I can see a fan base being quite upset with this. I mean, LeBron, when he left Cleveland, people were burning his jerseys. People were booing him every time he was back in Cleveland. The fan reaction to this cowardly move has been absolutely brutal and rightfully so.
 
A Reddit thread lit up on Thursday decrying the absence and speculating that the Mercury and Thomas face fines for breaching league rules. The internet has no mercy when it comes to calling out unprofessional behavior and Thomas just gave them all the ammunition they needed. Something that she not not that she caused, not the necessarily Dana cause for herself.
 
Like the booing and everything Dana brought that in herself. Let’s be completely real. Even Nate Tibbitz was just like, well, yeah, this is sports. Like we’ll talk about that a little bit later, but like their coach was even like, well, yeah, this is this is sports. This is sports. Um, and like Alyssa Thomas not showing up.
 
It’s the most Alysa Thomas thing ever, isn’t it? You know, talk a big game and then when anyone does anything negative towards you, let’s just dodge. It is the most Alysa Thomas thing ever. Like, we’ve seen it with some of the Now, let’s talk about the context that makes this whole situation even more pathetic. This was Dana Bonner’s return to Indianapolis after she quit on the fever earlier this season.
It was also Thomas’s fiance, Dana Bonner’s first game since she was waved by Indiana on June 25th. So Thomas was already emotionally invested in this game because her girlfriend was getting booed by the fans she abandoned and Sophie. That is her first team coming in for Bonner was booed by the team’s fans when she entered Wednesday’s game.
Thomas was also involved in talking trash with Indiana fans. So, let me get this straight. Thomas spent the game talking trash to fans, watched her team lose despite her best individual performance, and then decided to run away instead of facing the media like a professional. The visual evidence of Thomas engaging with fans during the game makes her disappearing act even more cowardly.
 
With a little under two minutes left in the opening quarter and the Mercury comfortably leading 25-13, Alyssa Thomas was caught in a heated moment with a fan. She was perfectly comfortable getting into verbal confrontations when her team was winning. But when it came time to face questions about the loss, suddenly she was nowhere to be found.
 
The WNBA has very clear rules about media availability, and Thomas decided she was above them. According to the WNBA’s 2025 season media access policy, each head coach plus two players, the team’s leading scorer and a key contributor, must be available to in-person and Zoom media no later than 10 minutes after the final buzzer.
 
This isn’t a suggestion, it’s a requirement. On Wednesday, Mercury coach Nate Tibbitz and Copper did appear in the clubhouse press conference, but Thomas did not emerge from the locker room. So, her coach showed up. Her teammate showed up. But the team’s leading scorer and supposed veteran leader nowhere to be found. That’s not leadership. That’s cowardice.
The league doesn’t mess around with these violations either. League protocol leaves little wiggle room and teams risk escalating fines for repeat infractions. The WNBA has made it clear that media availability is mandatory and players who think they can skip it will face financial consequences.
 
What makes this whole situation even more embarrassing is how the fans have reacted. Many shared their thoughts on X and reacted to the news. Wait, you’re telling me at did all that jawing at fans, played a remarkably good game, and then didn’t have enough respect for the game and the league to talk with the press? The fans are absolutely roasting her for this unprofessional behavior.
 
All right, first of all, if you know or follow sports in like the slightest, you don’t even have to be a fanatic to understand booze come with the territory. I have never seen a season without booze. Every time I go to a New York Liberty game and the Indiana Fever play, Sophie Cunningham just steps on the court or gets announced or anything, it’s met with booze from the crowd for whatever reason.
 
And I’m not saying I agree with it, but is never something that I thought to write about. It’s never something that I thought to post to social media. It’s not something that I ever thought to make a video about because I know fans. The fan reaction perfectly captures how ridiculous this whole situation is. All because her girlfriend got booed for bailing.
 
WNBA fans see at Alyssa Thomas for skipping media after Dana Bonner’s harsh welcome. That’s exactly what this boils down to. Thomas couldn’t handle that her girlfriend got the reception she deserved for quitting on a team. So, she decided to throw a tantrum and skip her professional obligations. This pattern of be This isn’t just about one incident either.
 
Thomas has a history of getting into it with fans and making controversial statements. Remember when she made those comments about Indiana Fever fans during the playoffs last year? She’s been building up to this moment of unprofessional behavior for a while now. The hypocrisy of Thomas’ behavior becomes even more apparent when you consider her past statements about player unity and professionalism.
 
I think as a league we stick together, Thomas said as players. She Angel Reese said she heard it and we believe her. I believe her. I’ve heard a lot of things from the fans. I think it’s about basketball and I think people have taken it too far. She talks about sticking together as a league, but then abandons her professional obligations when things don’t go her way.
 
The contrast between Thomas’s behavior and how other players handle adversity is stark. When Caitlyn Clark gets fouled hard or faces hostile crowds, she handles it with professionalism and still meets her media obligations. When other star players have bad games or tough losses, they still show up and answer questions.
 
Thomas decided she was special and didn’t have to follow the same rules as everyone else. What makes this even more pathetic is that Thomas actually played well in this game. Thomas had game highs of 32 points, 15 rebounds, and seven assists on 63.3% shooting. She should have been proud of her individual performance and used the media availability to highlight how well she played despite the loss.
 
Instead, she let her emotions get the better of her and made a terrible decision. The fan reaction on social media has been absolutely merciless, and Thomas deserves every bit of criticism she’s getting. Fans are pointing out the hypocrisy of talking trash during the game, but then running away when it’s time to face the consequences.
 
That’s not the behavior of a veteran leader. That’s the behavior of someone who can dish it out, but can’t take it. The Phoenix Mercury organization also deserves criticism for allowing this to happen. They should have made sure their star player understood her obligations and was prepared to meet them regardless of the game’s outcome.
 
The fact that Thomas was able to just disappear without the team making sure she fulfilled her media requirements shows a lack of organizational accountability. This incident also highlights the double standard that exists in the WNBA. If Caitlyn Clark had skipped mandatory media availability, the league would have come down on her like a ton of bricks.
 
But because Thomas fits certain categories and has been critical of fan behavior in the past, there’s this expectation that she’ll get a pass. Hopefully, the league proves that wrong and treats this violation seriously. The educational aspect of this situation is important, too. Young players and fans watching the league need to see that professional behavior is expected at all times.
 
When veteran players like Thomas skip their obligations, it sends the wrong message about what’s acceptable in professional sports. The league has a responsibility to enforce its rules consistently. The timing of the Mercury’s next games adds another layer of intrigue to this story. All eyes will be on how the WNBA punishes Thomas and more intriguingly if she honors her leaguemandated media window when the buzzer sounds next time.
 
Will Thomas learn from this embarrassing incident? Or will she continue to think she’s above the rules? The precedent this sets is important for the entire league. If star players can skip media availability because they’re upset about fan reactions or game outcomes, what’s to stop other players from doing the same thing? The WNBA needs to send a clear message that these rules apply to everyone, regardless of their status or personal grievances.
 
What’s particularly frustrating about this situation is that Thomas had every opportunity to use the media availability to her advantage. She could have praised her teammates, talked about the team’s fight despite the loss, or even addressed the fan situation in a professional manner. Instead, she chose to run away and let the story become about her unprofessional behavior rather than her excellent performance.
 
The impact on team chemistry could also be significant. A fine or worse could distract a locker room with championship aspirations. Thomas’ teammates showed up and did their jobs, but now they have to deal with the fallout from her decision to skip out on her responsibilities. That’s not fair to them, and it’s not what you expect from a veteran leader.
 
The league’s response to this incident will be telling. They’ve been trying to establish the WNBA as a truly professional league, and that means holding players accountable for their behavior both on and off the court. Thomas gave them a perfect opportunity to demonstrate that professionalism is expected from everyone.
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The comparison to other professional sports leagues is also relevant here. In the NBA, NFL, or MLB, skipping mandatory media availability results in immediate fines. There’s no debate, no excuses, no special treatment. You break the rules, you pay the price. The WNBA needs to show they operate with the same level of professionalism.
 
The fan perspective on this is particularly important because the WNBA is still growing its fan base. When fans see players acting unprofessionally and seemingly getting away with it, it damages the league’s credibility. Thomas’ behavior sends the message that WNBA players think they’re above the basic professional standards that exist in other sports.
 
The irony of this whole situation is that Thomas actually had something positive to talk about. Her performance was outstanding and she could have used the media availability to build her personal brand and showcase her professionalism. Instead, she made herself the villain of the story and created unnecessary drama for her team.
 
Looking ahead, this incident could have lasting implications for Thomas’s reputation and relationship with the media. Reporters don’t forget when players skip out on their obligations, and it could affect how she’s covered going forward. That’s a self-inflicted wound that could have been easily avoided. The Mercury’s championship aspirations make this situation even more frustrating.
 
They have a legitimate chance to compete for a title this year, but now they have to deal with distractions caused by their star players poor decision-making. Championships are won by teams that handle adversity professionally, and Thomas just showed she might not be up to that standard. The instant karma aspect of this story is perfect.
Thomas spent the game talking trash to fans, watched her team lose despite her best efforts, and then tried to avoid accountability by skipping media availability. Now she’s facing fines and public criticism, proving that you can’t escape the consequences of unprofessional behavior. The bottom line is that Alyssa Thomas made a terrible decision that reflects poorly on herself, her team, and the league as a whole.
 
Professional athletes have obligations that go beyond just playing the game, and media availability is one of them. Thomas decided she was above those rules, and now she’s about to pay the price. The karma couldn’t be more fitting. Alyssa Thomas learned that professional athletes can’t just run away when things don’t go their way.
 
Skipping mandatory media availability after talking trash all game is peak unprofessional behavior, and the fine she’s about to get is welld deserved. What do you think about her cowardly move? Drop your thoughts below.