The Washington Mystics suffered a blowout loss to Angel Reese and the Atlanta Dream on Saturday, 109-77, in a game that saw Mystics head coach Sydney Johnson get ejected after going ballistic on the referees.
With Atlanta leading 64-43 and 3:52 remaining in the game’s third quarter, Johnson argued with a referee about a previous play. He began shouting at a referee with members of his coaching staff and even one of the Mystics’ players trying to get him away.
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However, Johnson continued his tirade, trying to get past his coaching staff to the officiating crew, shouting and finger-wagging in a heated moment.
Johnson’s meltdown continued as Kiki Iriafen came onto the court and told her coach everything was OK, but that didn’t stop him. Eventually, a group of officers working the game came over to ensure that Johnson left the court and went to the locker room after he received two technical fouls during the incident.
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Johnson’s fierce tirade against the officials arrived in a game that featured the Dream getting 41 free throws compared to 27 for the Mystics.
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He seemed to take exception to something that transpired during a turnover from Alicia Florez Getino, where Reese stole the ball. Getino received a shooting foul soon after.
A timeout arrived after that sequence, and that’s when Johnson unloaded on the officiating crew on the court. Several videos showed footage of him going after the referees, including one from ESPNW.
With Johnson’s tirade and ejection, he could face a fine should the WNBA determine one is warranted. During last year’s WNBA Semifinals, Minnesota Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve received a $15,000 fine after her ejection from a game and a rant in which she swore at the officials.
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A lot may depend on what the WNBA decides following its investigation, including discussions with the officiating crew. Additionally, if Johnson makes further comments criticizing the refs in any postgame interviews, that could play a part.
Johnson went from coaching the Fairfield men’s basketball program for eight seasons to becoming the Mystics’ head coach in 2025. The team finished 16-28 and fourth in the Eastern Conference in Johnson’s first season.
After Saturday’s loss, the Mystics dropped to 4-5 in the early season, while Atlanta improved to 7-3, the Eastern Conference’s best record. They’ll next face the Chicago Sky on Tuesday at 7 p.m. ET.
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For more about the WNBA, head over to Newsweek Sports.
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