NEW YORK — NBA commissioner Adam Silver did not mince words Thursday when asked about the now-infamous play between Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark and Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas.“Ultimately, the issues around Caitlin Clark are not largely about officiating,” Silver said while speaking on a panel at the CNBC/Boardroom Game Plan event Thursday night.“That particular incident is not about whether a foul should have been called at the time of the game or whether that was ultimately a flagrant non-review. I’ve come to know Caitlin really well. She’s an incredible player and also an incredible person. And she wants to focus on being the best player she can. And she’s become a bit of a political football in this country, and I think it’s incredibly unfair to her.”The play Silver referenced occurred during a game between the Fever and the Mercury on June 24. In the second quarter of the Mercury’s 111-109 win over the Fever, Thomas pushed a closed fist into Clark’s neck as Thomas attempted to stand up during a loose-ball play. The Fever appealed the play, and after reviewing it, the WNBA retroactively issued Thomas a flagrant 2 and announced a one-game suspension."The WNBA needs to do a better job of protecting their players"The Sports Business Journal reported that Silver pushed WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert to issue the suspension. Silver did not refute the accuracy of the report when pressed about it onstage, but instead said he would not comment because he didn’t think it was fair to Clark or Engelbert.