NEW YORK — The 2024 WNBA Finals was one of the most memorable series in league history. Even when they're competing against each other, the Minnesota Lynx and New York Liberty players are showing off the beauty of their competition and what a great advertisement for a season that brought record viewership and enthusiasm to the league. I recognized it.
But the finals also put a spotlight on WNBA referees. The performance of the referees was not up to the standards of the players, which ultimately undermined the league's achievements.
“It's unfortunate that the referees got involved in a series like this,” Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve said after losing 67-62 to Liberty in overtime. “Obviously there's always some teams that are a little bit more disappointed than others. I think today was incredibly disappointing.”
“This (expletive) is not that difficult,” she added. “Host, it's not that hard.”
The conversation surrounding a do-or-die game featuring two of the best players in the world, Brianna Stewart and Napheesa Collier, should have focused on basketball. Instead, unpleasant reactions to officiating and suggestions of a conspiracy to benefit the team with a bigger media market with more popular stars dominated.
The Lynx's anger was mainly focused on one call near the end of regulation. That's when Alana Smith was whistled for a foul on Stewart on marginal contact with 5.2 seconds left. The call was upheld after an appeal, but Stewart clearly moved before the foul and the call would not have stood if a replay center outside the building had been tasked with reviewing the call. Reeve assured.
Brianna Stewart traveled the world with this play 😭😭😭#WNBAFinals pic.twitter.com/pK2YlNWRNV
— 𝑫𝒂𝒗𝒊𝒅🖤💫 (@DaviddLovesSosa) October 21, 2024
There were also multiple instances where Collier was hit near the rim or lapped before receiving an encored entry pass. Midway through overtime, Collier was unable to catch a pass from Natisha Hedemann because Leonie Fievic had Collier in an arm lock, resulting in a Lynx turnover rather than a foul on Fievic. Collier attempted 18 field goals in the paint but none of his free throw attempts. She had never taken more than 11 field goals without reaching the foul line. She ultimately fouled out in overtime.
During regulation, the foul differential was 19-12 against the road team before Minnesota had to foul to extend the game in the overtime session. Reeve even said the game was “stolen” from the Lynx.
Just before the video begins, coach Cheryl Reeve says, “This was stolen from us.” pic.twitter.com/8VanrfiXup
— Zena Keita (@itszenakeita) October 21, 2024
This isn't the first time Reeve has called a foul in the postseason. Eight years later, in 2016, she claims Minnesota lost the title again to Nneka Ogwumike when the Sparks missed the whistle for a shot clock violation at the end of Game 5. He managed to score the winning goal in a game with a one-point difference. But Reeve's repeated message doesn't mean she's wrong. In fact, she's right that the WNBA has a long-standing problem with the quality of officiating.
The three games of this series ended with the coach complaining about the one-sided nature of the officiating in his postgame comments. After Game 3, when Stewart got 10 free throws to the Lynx's 12 total, Reeve said: You'll see the same level of activity and around-the-rim contact. For some reason, he's struggled to get to the foul line in this series. ”
“I know Sherrill talked about it last time, but I didn't hear from you today,” New York coach Sandy Brondello said in Game 4, when Liberty lost the free-throw battle 20-9. So do I need to speak at a press conference?”
“All we want is fairness, OK. So if we get hit, it's a foul,” Brondello added.
Before the finals, league commissioner Cathy Engelbert said that while the WNBA would undergo regular officiating audits, the public attention focused on officiating was not a sign of immediate improvement, but rather a result of passion. He suggested that it was an expression of
Nevertheless, the fact that the league's longest-tenured manager publicly assaulted officials on more than one occasion on its biggest stage is a red flag.
NBA stars like LeBron James and Damian Lillard weighed in on the issue on social media, with Lillard suggesting that the referees intentionally forced New York back into the game in the second half. Combine this with the WNBA's suggestion that it should reflect.
The umpires called this game as if they knew the boy's challenge in the second half. It's a great game.
— Damian Lillard (@Dame_Lillard) October 21, 2024
Too bad that wasn't a foul! Let the players decide on the outcome of a close-tested game. 🤦🏾♂️
— LeBron James (@KingJames) October 21, 2024
There has never been more attention to the league than there is right now. Perceptions of fairness are essential to keeping fans engaged. They have to believe their team has a chance and not go into a game as an underdog against a media darling.
Complaining about referees is a rite of passage for sports fans, and the fact that the role of referees has increased is not unusual. But there's a difference between fans feeling like their team was cheated and the overall quality of officiating not being up to par.
If the three officials can't see the ball leave a player's feet (as happened in Game 1 against Stewart) and are forced to call a jump ball as a result, that's a failure. . If a player gets wrapped, held, and can't pass, and the play is whistled for a turnover, that's the referee's fault.
In basketball, there are always calls, and different amounts of contact are allowed by the referee. That's not what happened in Game 5 or any other point in the Finals, and it would be a stain on what was an otherwise great series.
When asked about Reeve's claim that this series was taken from Minnesota, Brondello didn't take the bait, choosing instead to emphasize the team's ability to overcome adversity. And New York's grit is to be admired. It was an amazing feat of endurance and tenacity for two star players to fight back from a 12-point deficit on a night when they couldn't make it off the beach.
It doesn't overshadow the fact that Lynx was fighting something more than Liberty. It's not fair to either team. As the league becomes a bigger player in the national sports media, it is incumbent on the league to invest more in its officials and ensure they are prepared for this spotlight and this responsibility. . The players deserved more than what they got in Game 5.
(Cheryl Reeve Photo: Elsa/Getty Images)
