Alyssa Thomas claps back at broadcaster's shade toward Phoenix Mercury forward after viral Kiki Iriafen moment

On Sunday, Alyssa Thomas and the Phoenix Mercury did their best to outlast the Washington Mystics in the 2025 WNBA regular season. It was a low-scoring effort from both teams, and the Mercury came out with a 68-62 victory. During the game, though, there was a play from Mystics rookie Kiki Iriafen that caught everyone's attention.

Iriafen has been sensational since her first professional game. The first-year player has proven she's one of the top rookies of the 2025 class. In her first game, she had 14 points and four rebounds on 40% shooting.

In Washington's recent bout against Phoenix, the former USC star had 11 points and 13 rebounds. During a fastbreak opportunity, Iriafen used her strength to overpower the veteran Thomas and score the layup.

Thomas, who's a six-time All-Defensive player, couldn't do anything to stop the youngster.

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The move Iriafen made on Thomas surprised the fans. Even Brendan Glasheen, the play-by-play commentator for the Connecticut Sun, commented on Iriafen's move on X.

"Dang Kiki Iriafen just Alyssa Thomas-ed Alyssa Thomas," Glasheen posted.

However, Alyssa Thomas clapped back on the social media platform:

"Keep that commenting to the sun Brenda."

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Glasheen explained why he was addressed as "Brenda" by the former Sun player. In a post in 2023, the commentator explained that the nickname was given to him by Jonquel Jones, a former player for Connecticut.

He said that during a game in Atlanta, he left his bag with security. However, the last letter of his first name was missing, and security had trouble looking for a Brenda. They went inside the away team's locker room and asked if there was someone with that name.

Glasheen claimed Jones figured it out and started calling him Brenda.

Also, Thomas doubled down on her comments at Glasheen.

"This was a serious comment," Thomas replied.

Alyssa Thomas commented if Kiki Iriafen did something to wake her up

After the game, Phoenix Mercury coach Nate Tibbetts told the media that Kiki Iriafen did something to wake Alyssa Thomas up. When the reporters told the veteran star about it, she dismissed it and said she was always awake.

Also, she added that they felt tired as a team, but the presence of the fans helped them perform better.

"At the end of the day, this is our home court and we had the x-factor behind us," Thomas said. "Just feeling that energy... we didn't have as much energy, we were kinda tired today. Having them screaming behind us really fueled us down the stretch.

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In four games, Thomas has played well for the Mercury, averaging 16.5 points, 7.8 rebounds and 6.3 assists.

About the author

Reign Amurao specializes in basketball at Sportskeeda, bringing 3 years of experience to his role and a Bachelor's Degree in Communication.

A fervent supporter of the Phoenix Suns, Reign was hooked to their electrifying "Seven-Seconds-Or-Less" offense, which epitomizes high-paced and high-intensity basketball. For Reign, Steve Nash is the ultimate floor general, and he believes Boris Diaw could've been the next Magic Johnson if he had a bit more discipline.

From Reign's perspective, Anthony Edwards is a 90s player stuck in modern times, and Gregg Popovich is an ultimate winner with unparalleled success and leadership in the sport.

Reign's expertise lies in NBA history, particularly the significant moments and trends of the 2000s and 2010s. He prioritizes in-depth research using only credible sources to maintain accuracy in his articles, and avoids misleading topics.

Beyond basketball, Reign enjoys gaming with friends and watches comedy shows and films.

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Edited by Kim Daniel Rubinos