Becky Hammon Braces for Potential Fine After Blasting Refs in Aces' Loss
Becky Hammon watched her team lose 95-87 to the Dallas Wings and was clearly displeased with the officiating throughout the game, calling out the foul disparity postgame.
The Aces had 15 personal fouls, compared to 16 for the home team, with Hammon calling particular attention to her star players not receiving the respect of the referees in getting free throws.
Her team shot only 12 of them in the game, while the home team shot 22 throughout the night.
“A’ja Wilson shoots one free throw. Chennedy Carter, zero, Jackie Young, zero,” Hammon said. “I’m [expletive] tired of that [expletive]. I’m not saying they didn’t earn their 22 down there. But when Awak Kuier shoots more free throws than A’ja Wilson and Jackie Young and Chennedy Carter all combined, that’s a problem,” she told reporters.
“We’re not getting the same whistle. Give me my fine,” Hammon said in her fiery postgame remarks, before exiting.
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A fine could be on the way for Hammon, as players and coaches who have spoken negatively about the officiating have certainly drawn them in the past.
One of the biggest examples of a coach came last year, when Minnesota Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve received a $15,000 fine for her postgame comments that it was “malpractice” to have particular referees work her team’s game. She also called for a change in WNBA leadership and for the league to be restrained from going after the refs in that specific game.
Several players have received much lesser fines, including Indiana Fever stars Caitlin Clark and Sophie Cunningham. The WNBA fined Cunningham $1,500 for comments she made about refs on her “Show Me Something Podcast.” Clark was fined $200 for her Instagram comments about refs.
Las Vegas won the first two quarters in Thursday night’s game, before the Wings took over in the second half, outscoring them 50-34 to capture the win. Jessica Shepard had a historic night, achieving an incredible triple-double of 22 points, 20 rebounds, and 10 assists to lead Dallas.
Hammon and the defending-champion Aces are 4-3 early in their WNBA season, giving them time to bounce back from this loss and continue their quest for another postseason run. They’ll next face the Golden State Valkyries at 3:30 p.m. ET on Sunday.
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This story was originally published May 29, 2026 at 7:41 AM.