Alyssa Thomas is as good as it gets right now in the WNBA, with her last-second free throw against the Valkyries tipping the scales in favour of the Phoenix side. Thomas had 17 points in the match, second only to DeWanna Bonner, who had a stellar game Monday night. Controversy, however, followed after the free throw was called into question by the rookie coach Natalie Nakase. How much can the refs be held accountable? But the real question to be asked here is, was it a foul? Coach Nakase doesn’t seem to think so.
Recently, the refs have been called into question by the players a lot. The Bayou Barbie Angel Reese is one of the most recent names to call out the officials. “I think this is a leaping step for us, and obviously we know we can compete with the best, but [the officiating] has to be fixed. And I don’t give a damn if I get fined because that s— is cheap, and I’m tired of this s—.” Yeah, no one’s happy with the officials in recent times, and Nakase had more of the same to say.
Nakase was proud of her team’s performance, with her calling out the intricacies of the game that was played by the San Francisco side in the post-game presser, “Credit to everyone who was on the floor at that moment, because you can’t, you gotta execute everything, the timing, the screening, the setup, and so, I think that’s why I’m not as upset,” But she was upset. After her team pulled off some amazing 3-pointers from outside the arc, they lost the game from a free throw, with no defensive play involved, and that has to hurt.
Nakase went on to affirm how the foul was questionable and how the Phoenix side played a much more physical game than the Valkyries did. “It’s unfortunate that they get to win a game off of a free throw. No defense. That’s tough… I saw absolutely no foul,” Nakase said. “The physicality of the game for Phoenix was 10 times more versus our physicality. I saw absolutely no foul.” She added, “But I saw absolutely no foul. So that was just unfortunate that it went that way. I believe that you have to win off of great shots. That’s part of it. And so yeah, I think we deserved that.” Nakase is a firm believer that great shots and plays get wins, and that they deserved that dub. This is not the first time the WNBA refs have been called into question.
Alyssa Thomas and Mercury had a great match and delivered a great comeback from a point where it seemed like it was slipping out of their fingers. The bigger question remains. Was that foul on Alyssa Thomas by Cecilia Zandalasini fair play? Is the officiating in the WNBA falling off? Those are some difficult questions, but ones that seem to have gained some traction in recent matches.
Are the WNBA Officials slacking off?
This is not the first time we’ve heard complaints from coaches and players about the officiating in the WNBA. Key players like Angel Reese and Kelsey Plum have voiced their concerns and frustrations regarding the refs in recent matches. Reese went as far as to call an outcome fixed while showing her displeasure.
idgaf. DO BETTER. @WNBA https://t.co/rNNJFw767m
— Angel Reese (@Reese10Angel) July 7, 2025
Indiana coach Stephanie White also called into question the lack of control the refs had over the game between the Fever and the Connecticut Sun. “When the officials don’t get control of the ballgame — when they allow this stuff to happen, and it’s been happening all season long … this is what happens,” White stated. The scuffle on the court turned ugly as three players were ejected from the match.
Commentator Debbie Antonelli did not waste time in pointing fingers at the officials, “I’m blaming this all on the officials tonight. It is totally their responsibility… Players want consistency, thankfully, nobody got hurt.”
The match ended in disappointment for the San Francisco side, even after they put up a stunning display. It’s not easy seeing your lead get destroyed in the last second of a match while you watch and can do nothing about it. We can only watch and hope the WNBA starts to be strict with its officials, or more scuffles are soon to follow on the court.
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