Tibbetts, furious: Controversial ejection in Mercury’s Finals WNBA defeat

Nate Tibbetts, Mercury Coach, Ejected in WNBA Finals

Phoenix Mercury coach Nate Tibbetts was ejected during the fourth game of the WNBA Finals, marking a milestone in league history. The situation unfolded in the third quarter of the game when Tibbetts received two consecutive technical fouls. This made him the first coach to be ejected in a Finals game. Tibbetts, visibly bewildered, expressed his frustration with the referee’s decision. According to head referee Roy Gulbeyan, the first technical was for saying “That’s terrible shit” after a call. Then, Tibbetts approached the official and repeated the phrase, resulting in the second technical and his automatic ejection.

For me, it’s simply embarrassing. I feel sorry for having been ejected. I’ve been in this game a long time. I think it’s one of the weakest double technicals in history.

Nate Tibbetts

In addition to Tibbetts, Mercury players Kahleah Copper and DeWanna Bonner also received technical fouls in the final quarter. Gulbeyan explained that Bonner’s was for a “reaction of the moment,” while Copper was sanctioned for using offensive language and aggressively approaching the referee. Tibbetts highlighted the disparity in free throws between the Mercury and the Aces in Game 4. Phoenix attempted 19 free throws, compared to Las Vegas’s 35, including 19 by Finals MVP A’ja Wilson.

Despite the controversies, the Mercury did not attribute their defeat to the referees. The team acknowledged that their main problem was the 18 turnovers that allowed their opponent 26 points. In the game, the Mercury managed to reduce a 20-point deficit to just six, which, according to Copper, was a reflection of the team’s tenacity throughout the season.