The WNBA fined the Indiana Fever head coach Stephanie White during the 2025 playoffs for speaking out in support of Minnesota Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve. White received a penalty after defending Reeve’s controversial comments about playoff officiating, further sparking the debate about coaches’ freedom to criticize referees.
Why Did the WNBA Fine Stephanie White for Her Comments on Cheryl Reeve’s Outburst?
The drama started after Game 3 of the Lynx-Mercury semifinal series. Minnesota star Napheesa Collier was injured when Phoenix’s Alyssa Thomas made contact with her during a steal attempt late in the game. No foul was called on the play while Collier fell to the court and hurt her ankle.
This resulted in an outburst from Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve, who was ejected from the game. Stephanie White revealed that in the aftermath of her support of Cheryl Reeve yesterday, the WNBA imposed a fine on her.
When White learned about her fine on Monday, she expressed frustration. “Look, I already got fined for supporting Cheryl, which I think is crazy,” White said during a practice session.
Speaking to reporters before a game, the Fever coach had shared her thoughts on the situation and expressed support for Reeve. “I think that she made a lot of valid points,” White told the media. “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 another statement that got her in trouble with the league. “Every part of our league has improved, and [officiating] has lagged behind, for whatever reason,” she said.
Las Vegas Aces coach Becky Hammon also received a $1,000 fine for backing Reeve. “From what I heard, she did not tell a lie. She said the truth,” Hammon stated in defense of her fellow coach.
Reeve was also fined, and her punishment was much harsher. The Minnesota coach, who had received a one-game suspension after Game 3, later received a record $15,000 fine. During her postgame press conference, Reeve called the referee assignment for the playoff game “malpractice ” and called for “a change in leadership at the league level when it comes to officiating.”
The fines indicate an increasing friction between the league and the coaches over referee performance in the playoffs. For the third time this season, coaches have been fined for largely criticizing the officiating.
