The WNBA has fined both head coaches in the Las Vegas Aces vs. Indiana Fever semifinals series for making comments in support of Minnesota Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve.
A source told The Athletic that Aces coach Becky Hammon and Fever coach Stephanie White both received $1,000 fines. Reeve, for her part, was hit with a $15,000 fine for her ejection and postgame tirade directed at officials following Minnesota's Game 3 loss to the Phoenix Mercury.
During her press conference, Reeve called for a change in leadership at the league level regarding officiating and called it “f***ing malpractice” for the three officials working the Lynx-Mercury game to have a WNBA Playoffs assignment.
“From what I heard, [Reeve] did not tell a lie. She said the truth,” Hammon said.
White seemed to agree.
“I think that she made a lot of valid points,” she said. “A lot of the same kind of conversations are happening. It’s happening from every team, from every franchise, from every coach, from every player. And I think at some point there has to be some accountability.”
White added, “Every part of our league has gotten better, and that part has lagged behind, for whatever reason.”
Reeve's rant came after Phoenix' Alyssa Thomas stole the ball from Minnesota's Napheesa Collier and scored the other way on a fast-break. The two All-Stars collided, causing Collier to injure her ankle, which kept her out in the series-deciding Game 4.
Immediately after the play, an incensed Reeve ran onto the court to confront the officials while her assistants tried to hold her back. She was ejected and appeared to continue yelling obscenities at the crowd as she left the court.
Assistant coaches Eric Thibault and Rebekkah Brunson were both fined $500.
“Thibault was fined for his inappropriate interaction with an official on the court. Brunson was fined for an inappropriate social media comment directed at WNBA officials,” a release read.
