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On Saturday, WNBA handed his sentence for Minnesota Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve after her actions during and after Friday’s playoff loss to Phoenix Mercury.
Reeve was suspended for Games 4 in the semi -finals and ordered to pay a fine.
Late in the fourth quarter of Game 3, Reeve was seen aggressively pursuing a judge. Afterwards, she seemed to engage in a verbal quarrel with the game official. Lynx was removed from dispute after a 86-81 defeat on Sunday.
On Tuesday, Athletic reported that Reeve was fined $ 15,000.
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Minnesota Lynx Main coach Cheryl Reeve responds during the second half of the game five of the 2024 WNBA end game against Connecticut Sun at Target Center. (Matt Krohn-IMAGN images)
The figure would be one of the biggest fines WNBA has ever issued to an individual. By 2021, Diana Taurasi was fine of $ 2,500 for having made illegal contact with a referee during a game in the year’s WNBA final.
Liberty Del Ways with Trainer Sandy Brondello one season after historic wnba title
After her draft last week, Reeve refused to leave the court on a reasonable timeframe. There were just over 21 seconds left in the fourth quarter at the time Reeve was thrown.
Minnesota Lynx Main coach Cheryl Reeve responds to getting a technical error by an official during the first half of Game 3 of a WNBA Basketball Playoff SemiFinal’s Series game against Phoenix Mercury Friday, September 26, 2025, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Reeve also seemed to make comments on fans when she left the court. She then aimed at the state of Wnba, who was official at Friday’s news conference after Game.
“If that’s what the league wants, ok, but I’d like to call a change of leadership at the league level when it comes to officating,” Reeve said. “The official crew that we had tonight, for the management that considers these three people semi-final playoff worthy, it’s F — ing Malpractice.”
Isaac Barnett, Randy Richardson and Jenna Reneau were the three officials on Friday night.
The play that Drew Reeves Ire was Alyssa Thomas, who stole the ball from Napheesa Collier near the 3-point line and drove to the other end of the game-sealing lineup.
Collier injured his leg on the game and had to be helped to the dressing room. Reeve said collier “probably has a break”, though she did not elaborate on the damage.
Although Collier crashed to court after the collision, the National Basketball Association’s Association issued a highlight of the play on social media explaining why officials were right not to blow the flute.
Minnesota Lynx Main coach Cheryl Reeve, number two from the right, shouting at officials as she is detained by Lynx Associated Head coach Eric Thibault, Center and Lynx -Guard Natisha Hiedeman, right after being pushed out after earning another technical error in the second half of the game 3 of a WNBA -BASKET BASKET BASKET BACK – -Serie against Phoenix Mercury in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
“This is not a mistake,” Said the post. “Thomas is legally coming to the ball and knocking the ball loose before any contact. Legs for leg contact are random when the ball is completely loose.”
Minnesota assistant coach Eric Thibault and Rebekkah Brunson were also fine by the league. Thibault was fined for his inappropriate interaction with an official on the field. Brunson was fined for an inappropriate comment on social media aimed at WNBA -Employees.
According to Athletic, Thibault and Brunson were each issued $ 500 fines.
Outlet also reported that the league delivered $ 1,000 fines to Las Vegas ACES coach Becky Hammon and Indiana Fever coach Stephanie White respectively. The discipline followed Coaches’ support of Reeve and their vocal criticism of officials.
“From what I heard, she didn’t tell a lie. She said the truth,” Hammon said before Sunday’s semi-finals play in Lynx-Mercury. “I think something needs to change.
“When the players are in vulnerable positions, such as jumping or driving at full speed, I think you have to protect them. You have to protect your product. If it was LeBron James, or it was Shai Gilgeous-Alexander or such, they would protect some of these players.”
Meanwhile, White claimed that Reeve “made a lot of valid points” and noted that “at some point there must be some accountability.”
WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert turned to official throughout the Star weekend in July.
“When we move on with the officials, we hear the worries. We take that employee input,” Engelbert said. “Each game is reviewed. We spend hours and hours and hours. Obviously we use it to follow up with officials’ training.
“Consistency is important. I think some people observe our games versus other basketball formats (and thinking), there are not lots of mistakes called, but I am aware that the consistency is the name of the game.”
