WNBA Refs Reportedly Find No Correlation Between Missed Calls, Player Injuries

As coaches and players continue to voice their displeasure at the growing physicality referees are allowing, the WNBA is maintaining that there isn't any correlation between an increase in injuries this postseason and missed calls from officials

According to ESPN's Kendra Andrews, "WNBA Referee Operations reviews data throughout the season to address what league sources refer to as 'legitimate criticism' and pinpoint areas officials need to improve on. Through that process, the referee operations committee found that allegations that officiating errors have led to more injuries were unfounded, league sources told ESPN."

WNBA coaches in particular, however, have been incredibly outspoken about the quality of officiating of late.

"If this is what the league wants, OK, but I want to call for a change of leadership at the league level when it comes to officiating," Minnesota Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve told reporters after Game 3 of the WNBA Semifinals, aggrieved that Napheesa Collier was hurt on a play late in the game that wasn't called a foul against the Phoenix Mercury. "The officiating crew that we had tonight, for the leadership to deem those three people semifinal-playoff worthy, it's f--king malpractice."

Reeve was ejected from that game and suspended for Sunday's Game 4.

Both Las Vegas Aces head coach Becky Hammon and Indiana Fever coach Stephanie White agreed publicly with Reeve.

"Every part of our league has gotten better, and that part has lagged behind, for whatever reason," White said of the officiating. "Oftentimes it's infrastructure in terms of training, oftentimes it's financial. And it's really investing in who we have as officials, and sometimes it's manpower. Who's coming into the program? How do we get them to stick around? How do we keep them growing and getting better? Do we have more resources to support them? Do we have more resources to help, whether it's something like a replay center? And those are conversations that continue to be ongoing."

As Andrews reported, the WNBA vets and evaluates officials as follows: "First, there is a review by the WNBA referee officials. Second, there is a panel of independent reviewers who look at the refs and their body of work. Third, there is a text line coaches can send feedback to after every single game. There are also midseason and end-of-season reviews of all of the officials."

The WNBA is standing behind its officials and processes at the moment, but it's clear that the situation has reached a boiling point for the coaches and players.