Phoenix Mercury’s head coach, Nate Tibbetts, was ejected during the third quarter of Game 4 against the Las Vegas Aces. This incident occurred after Tibbetts confronted a referee following a foul on player Monique Akoa Makani. His ejection came after receiving a double technical foul, a decision he labeled as “one of the weakest double technicals ever.”

Tibbetts expressed embarrassment over the incident and mentioned that it was his first ejection ever in the WNBA. He stated, “I feel bad for… our fans and family. It wasn’t needed… I’ve been around this game a long time. I think it was one of the weakest double technicals ever.”

The Mercury were striving to win and avoid elimination but ultimately ended up losing 97-86 in the finals series.

Kristi Toliver, the associate head coach, took over during Tibbetts’ absence. The team’s frustrations were palpable, especially as they lost both Satou Sabally to a concussion and Alyssa Thomas, who injured her shoulder but returned to the game.

After the game, Kahleah Copper remarked on the referee’s performance, saying, “The refs aren’t doing a good job tonight… We just gotta keep our heads.”

Despite the controversial ejection, Tibbetts and his team showed resilience, emphasizing their commitment to fight in every match.