WNBA Addresses Cheryl Reeve’s Suspension
The WNBA has announced the disciplinary action taken against Cheryl Reeve, head coach of the Minnesota Lynx, following events during the playoff game last Friday. Reeve will be suspended from the Lynx’s next postseason match and must pay a private fine. The team is set to compete in Game 4 of the semi-final series on Sunday.
During the last stages of Game 3 against the Phoenix Mercury, Reeve was observed aggressively approaching a referee. This escalated to a verbal confrontation with an official. After being ejected, she unhurriedly left the court, which was notable since over 21 seconds remained in the fourth quarter.
As fans were departing, Reeve seemed to interact with them, perhaps sharing her frustrations. Following the Lynx’s loss of 84-76 to the Mercury, she used her post-game press conference to voice her grievances, suggesting the league needs to reconsider its hosting decisions.
“If this is what the league wants, then fine, but I want to see changes in leadership for hosting at the league level,” she expressed. “The officiating tonight felt unjust because of the criteria under which these officials were deemed fit for the semi-finals.”
Besides Reeve, the league has also fined assistant coaches Eric Thibaut and Rebecca Branson. Thibaut’s fine was due to inappropriate interactions with game officials, while Branson faced penalties for improper comments made on social media about WNBA referees.
A crucial moment that ignited Reeve’s anger was when Alyssa Thomas intercepted the ball from Nafisa Collier near the three-point line, leading to a decisive layup. Unfortunately, Collier sustained a leg injury during this play and required assistance off the court. Reeve speculated that Collier “probably has a fracture,” though she didn’t provide further details.
After the incident, the National Basketball Association shared highlights that included an explanation about the no-call from officials, stating that the contact was accidental and not a foul. Complaints about officiating have been prevalent this season, prompting league Commissioner Kathy Engelbert to address these concerns during the All-Star Weekend in July.
“We acknowledge the feedback and are taking the staff’s opinions into account,” Engelbert noted. “All plays are reviewed extensively to enhance official training.”
