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Despite scornful comments on the officiating from Minnesota Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve, Sandy Brondello has no issue with how Game 5 of the 2024 WNBA Finals went down. Of course, Brondello is content with the New York Liberty winning its first championship under her guidance, but she still noted that she believes officiating is a “give and take.”
After the Liberty's championship win on Oct. 20, Brondello sat down with the media after the team celebration. The 56-year-old head coach joked that she thought the officiating was “fair” before calling the game “ugly.” Brondello ended her answer by saying she was proud of her team for finding a way to win.
“I thought they were pretty fair,” Brondello said, via Noa Dalzell of SB Nation. “After the last game, you know, you have to give and take. Game 1, we should've won that game. But I have so much respect for Cheryl and the Minnesota Lynx team. It was ugly but we found a way to win.”
The Liberty won the title 67-62 in overtime, but Reeve's criticism of the officiating mostly centered on the end of regulation. The Lynx were ahead by two with six seconds remaining when Breanna Stewart was controversially fouled by Alanna Smith. Reeve challenged the call but despite minimal contact, the initial ruling was upheld.
The Lynx would not make a field goal in overtime and went on to score just two free throws from Kayla McBride. Overall, 21 fouls were called on Minnesota as opposed to 17 for New York. However, the Liberty attempted 25 free throws in the game to just eight for the Lynx. Reeve has had an issue with the officiating all series, believing that Stewart is getting more calls near the basket than her own star, Napheesa Collier.
Liberty's Sandy Brondello's previous issues with officiating
Complaints about how the referees have handled the WNBA Finals have come from both coaches and not just Reeve. Brondello briefly mentioned in her Game 5 postgame presser that she did not agree with calls in previous games and was especially harsh with her words following the Liberty's Game 4 loss.
After the loss, Brondello called certain calls that the Lynx received “ticky-tack.” She added her belief that there was no consistency on both ends of the court. She called herself one of the “nicest coaches in the league” but said officiating is one of the few things that “pisses her off.”
Reeve also complained about officiating following the team's Game 2 and Game 3 losses. A common theme has been the head coach of the losing team feeling as if their loss was a result of inefficiency from the referees but the series nonetheless lasted all five games.
Following Game 5, several voiced their agreement with Reeve on social media, feeling as if the Lynx were not given a fair deal. Of them, LeBron James did not hold back in his criticism of the officiating.
