Napheesa Collier's WNBA playoff injury results in coach's ejection, suspension

The WNBA has suspended Minnesota Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve for one game and imposed fines due to her conduct and remarks during and after the team's 84-76 loss to the Phoenix Mercury. This incident occurred when Reeve aggressively confronted and verbally abused a game official on the court, failed to leave promptly after being ejected with 21.8 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, and made inappropriate comments to fans while exiting.

The trigger for Reeve's outburst was a play where Alyssa Thomas stole the ball from Napheesa Collier near the 3-point line, leading to a game-sealing layup. Collier sustained a leg injury during this collision and had to be assisted to the locker room. In her postgame comments, Reeve criticized the officiating, highlighting that Collier, one of the league's top players, shot zero free throws despite drawing five fouls and suffering injuries, and she expressed frustration over the lack of foul calls on the play.

Following the game, Reeve engaged in a two-minute rant filled with expletives, where she called for changes in the WNBA's officiating leadership, specifically targeting the officials from that night—Isaac Barnett, Randy Richardson, and Jenna Reneau—and questioning their suitability for playoff games. She left the press conference after making these statements without taking questions. In response, the National Basketball Referees Association defended the officials' decision, posting on social media that the play was not a foul as Thomas legally dislodged the ball before any contact occurred.

As part of the disciplinary actions, Reeve will serve her suspension in the upcoming Game 4 of the semifinals series against the Mercury, where the Lynx trail 2-1. Additionally, assistant coaches Eric Thibault and Rebekkah Brunson were fined by the league for inappropriate interactions with an official and a social media comment, respectively. This incident adds to broader concerns about WNBA officiating this season, with other coaches like Las Vegas's Becky Hammon voicing complaints about physicality, and Commissioner Cathy Engelbert previously addressing the issue during All-Star Weekend.