Etan Thomas Misstates 9,745 Crowd to Downplay Caitlin Clark's WNBA Draw

Q: What really happened when A'ja Wilson confronted a courtside fan, and why did security let the spectator back into the arena?

A’ja Wilson confronted the fan after he stood up behind the baseline during Game 2, pointed at her and said something following a foul call on Indiana’s Sophie Cunningham. Wilson walked toward him and repeatedly said, “You don’t point at me,” and later said the issue was not just the words but that, in her view, the man stepped toward her and pointed at her in a threatening, disrespectful way. Officials gave Wilson a technical foul, but they did not eject her because they ruled she stayed in the player escape lane near the basket rather than entering the stands. Security briefly removed the spectator from the seating area while arena staff reviewed what happened. After speaking with the fan and witnesses, the Fever said security found no violation of the Fan Code of Conduct, so the fan was allowed to return to his seat. The WNBA’s review likewise did not lead to further action against the spectator. Wilson strongly disagreed with that decision afterward, calling the fan’s actions “unacceptable” and saying she was surprised he was let back in. Aces coach Becky Hammon defended Wilson, saying her reaction showed she felt seriously disrespected. The league also chose not to fine or suspend Wilson beyond the in-game technical, meaning she remained available for the next game.

1 articles · Updated · Fox News · Oct 5

9,745 fans were announced for Liberty-Dream Game 1 at 17,000-seat State Farm Arena, undercutting Etan Thomas's claim that playoff support remains undiminished without Caitlin Clark.
Video from the lower bowl made the crowd look full, but the upper deck was tarped off; critics said that contrasted sharply with Clark-driven Fever games that sold out the same venue.
Two Fever-Dream regular-season games at State Farm Arena drew 17,044 each, and an Aug. 16 matchup with Indiana averaged 2.6 million viewers on ESPN, which the network called its most-watched WNBA cable game.
The dispute reflects a broader argument over Clark's commercial impact, with supporters pointing to sellouts, top TV audiences and jersey sales as evidence that her playoff exit will dent attendance and ratings.