WNBA fans call out Mercury's social media post after Caitlin Clark exits with injury

The Phoenix Mercury escaped Indianapolis with a dramatic 111-109 win over the Indiana Fever on Wednesday night, but much of the conversation after the final buzzer had little to do with the game itself.

Instead, fans quickly turned their attention to a post from the Mercury's official social media account that many believed crossed the line following Caitlin Clark's injury.

Clark exited midway through the third quarter after appearing to aggravate her back. Before leaving, the Fever star had put together another impressive performance, finishing with 19 points, eight assists and three made 3-pointers while helping Indiana battle in a high-scoring contest. The injury came during another physical matchup between the Fever and Mercury. Earlier in the game, Alyssa Thomas made contact with Clark around the neck on a play that sparked widespread discussion online after officials did not call a foul.

After Phoenix secured the victory, the Mercury posted a cartoon-style image of DeWanna Bonner laughing alongside the caption:

"De-wanna piece of this?!?"

The post immediately generated thousands of reactions, with many fans interpreting it as a shot at Clark in the aftermath of her injury.

Social media reacts to Mercury's post

The criticism came quickly, with many users calling the timing insensitive given Clark's exit from the game.

Among the reactions:

• "Posting this after what your team did is nasty."

• "Whatever your stance is, this ain't right from an organization."

• "Y'all literally mocking CC. What a disgrace of an organization."

• "Can't wait for you guys to get that suspension notice by the league."

Some fans also tagged the WNBA and commissioner Cathy Engelbert while questioning whether the post was appropriate for an official team account. Others argued the graphic was simply another chapter in the growing rivalry between the Fever and Mercury.

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Tensions have been building

Wednesday's game wasn't the first heated meeting between the two teams this week. During Monday's matchup, Clark and Bonner became tangled near the free-throw line before exchanging words. The incident escalated, resulting in five technical fouls, while Fever forward Myisha Hines-Allen was ejected after receiving her second technical.

That history led some fans to believe Wednesday's post referenced the earlier confrontation, although many still felt the timing, coming moments after Clark left with another back injury, made it controversial. The Fever and Mercury will meet one more time during the regular season when Phoenix hosts Indiana on July 10. After two emotionally charged games in the span of four days, that matchup has suddenly become one of the WNBA's most anticipated contests.

From a basketball perspective, Phoenix earned an important road victory. Off the court, however, its postgame social media activity became almost as big a story as the result itself, generating widespread debate among WNBA fans about whether the team's official account went too far.

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