Stewart’s Frustration Over No-Call Leads to Technical Foul

During the final moments of Monday night’s game, Breanna Stewart felt that she was fouled by Angel Reese on a crucial shot, but the referees didn’t make the call. Shortly after, Stewart committed a foul on Reese, which the officials did notice.

Known for her calm demeanor, Stewart visibly expressed her frustration toward the referee, which resulted in her first technical foul since 2017, her second season in the WNBA.

“That was definitely because of the no-call,” Stewart commented after the game. “She slapped my hand pretty hard. The baseline ref should have seen that.”

Sabrina Ionescu voiced her disagreement with the decision to issue a technical foul. “Honestly, if I wanted to see Stewie get a tech for the first time in so long, I expected something more animated than that,” Ionescu remarked. “There are plenty of players who express their frustrations all the time and don’t get techs.” She added, “So I was a bit surprised. But it’s great for her. She’s usually very calm and handles the refs well.”

If Stewart had received the foul call she hoped for, she might have cut the Dream’s eight-point lead to six, but instead, it led to a three-point swing that put the Dream ahead by eleven. While this moment wasn’t decisive in the game, it was notable for Stewart’s reaction.

“She’s a soft-spoken killer,” Ionescu described her teammate. “She knows how to communicate with the refs, and yelling doesn’t really get you anywhere.”

Stewart led the Liberty with an impressive 27 points and 14 rebounds, maintaining a strong performance after being designated the FIBA Women’s World Cup MVP for helping Team USA secure its fifth consecutive gold medal.

In three games since returning from the World Cup, her averages have been 26 points and 10.7 rebounds. “I’m just really focused,” Stewart said. “I want to give everything I have on the court each night and set the tone for my team going forward.”