The Minnesota Lynx will head into a pivotal playoff game without their leader on the sidelines. The WNBA handed down a major suspension to head coach Cheryl Reeve after her dramatic outburst in Game 3 of the semifinals against the Phoenix Mercury.
A contest marred by controversy, emotion, and injury was followed by a dramatic announcement by the league.
WNBA Announces a Strong Statement Against Cheryl Reeve
The WNBA has suspended Lynx coach Reeve for one game following her outburst in Friday’s Game 3 loss to the Mercury. The league announced Saturday that Reeve’s behavior crossed multiple lines, citing “aggressively pursuing and verbally abusing a game official on the court.”
The league also added that Reeve failed “to leave the court in a timely manner upon her ejection, inappropriate comments made to fans when exiting, and remarks made in the postgame press conference.”
La WNBA suspend Cheryl Reeve pour le Game 4… – https://t.co/inYUybFnML pic.twitter.com/5yVGkW3cJ1
— Basket USA 🏀 (@basketusa) September 28, 2025
With this strict measure, Reeve will now miss Sunday’s must-win Game 4 of the semifinals, with her team on the brink of elimination. She was also fined an undisclosed amount, while assistant coaches Eric Thibault and Rebekkah Brunson received fines for their own conduct. Thibault was fined for inappropriate interaction with an official, and Brunson for a social media post targeting referees.
What Triggered Reeve’s Suspension?
The flashpoint came in the closing seconds of Game 3. With the Lynx trailing 80-76, Phoenix’s Alyssa Thomas stole the ball from Napheesa Collier and converted a layup. In the play, Collier went down with a serious ankle injury, yet no foul was called.
Reeve stormed onto the court, furiously confronting officials until she was ejected with a second technical foul. Cameras captured players and staff restraining her before she eventually left the floor, exchanging words with nearby fans along the way.
Her anger didn’t subside after the game. At the press conference, Reeve delivered a profanity-laced statement aimed directly at the officiating crew and league leadership.
“The officiating crew that we had tonight, for the leadership to deem those three people semifinal-playoff worthy; it’s f—ing malpractice,” Reeve said. She added that she wanted to see a “change of leadership at the league level when it comes to officiating.”
The National Basketball Referees Association later defended the call, posting a video of the play and explaining that Thomas’s steal was legal, with incidental leg contact not warranting a foul.
