Phoenix Mercury Coach Criticizes Officiating in WNBA Finals

The WNBA Finals, marked by questionable officiating, took a surprising turn when Phoenix Mercury coach Nate Tibbetts was ejected during the third quarter of a Game 4 loss to the Las Vegas Aces, who clinched the championship with a sweep.

Tibbetts expressed his frustration, stating he hadn’t received an explanation for the two technical fouls that led to his early departure. “It’s embarrassing. I’m disappointed that it was thrown at me,” he said after the game, which ended 97-86. “I’ve been involved in this game for a long time, and I think this is one of the weakest double technicals ever. Honestly, I didn’t even know I got the second one.

Apologizing to his team, fans, and family, Tibbetts mentioned, “In my opinion, it wasn’t necessary. I would have liked to have heard their call. But yeah, it was weak. We’re playing for the playoffs. Most coaches do it on purpose when they can get the toss-up. That wasn’t my intention at all.”

Tibbetts was ejected shortly after a non-call on a drive by guard Karlea Copper and then a foul on guard Monique Akoa Makami. He approached referee Gina Cross to protest the call and was given a double technical foul almost immediately.

He acknowledged that his initial comments to Cross “probably” warranted a penalty but was taken aback when it escalated to ejection. This marked his second straight technical foul ejection but was notably the first time a head coach has been thrown out of a WNBA Finals game.

After the game, Tibbetts remarked, “Officiating has been a problem all year,” highlighting that Las Vegas star A’ja Wilson managed to shoot as many free throws as the entire Mercury team (19). He lamented, “I feel like I didn’t deserve it. I thought it was the Bulls.”

The issue of poor officiating has been a recurring theme throughout the league this season, intensified during the playoffs. Minnesota Lynx head coach Sheryl Reeve faced ejection in Game 3 of the semifinals after an incident involving injured player Napheesa Collier. Following that, Reeve was suspended for Game 4, which the Lynx lost without her star player.

Collier’s strong critique of WNBA leadership, particularly aimed at Commissioner Cathy Engelbert, also spotlighted officiating as a major concern for the league. In response to growing dissatisfaction, Engelbert announced a task force intended to tackle these issues and “ensure our officiating platform evolves as the league grows.”

Tibbetts pointed out that while progress is needed, it won’t come overnight. “Changes are happening in this league,” he said. “The product continues to improve. It’s getting more attention. I think referees have to grow with the league.”