WNBA Deletes Shady Tweet Suggesting Lynx Were Meant to Lose vs Liberty

By Ted Schwerzler |

Updated: Oct 21, 2024

The Minnesota Lynx had the basketball world locked in on Sunday night. National Football League action was all but over for the day. The NBA doesn’t start the regular season until this week. For a few hours, it was the WNBA’s chance to steal the show. And that’s exactly what the league, and the New York Liberty did… with lots of help from the referees.

Minnesota Lynx done dirty by WNBA

The storyline should have been about how the Minnesota Lynx and New York Liberty were locked in a hotly contested Game 5 matchup to determine the WNBA champion. Instead, it’s been about horrible officiating and a mad Cheryl Reeve.

Then, the league posted this tweet to their official X account, which did not go over well. In fact, the “trophy is right where it belongs” tweet did so poorly that, earlier today, the WNBA deleted it…

WNBA deleted this tweet pic.twitter.com/BLvLizdDfm
— Michael Russo (@RussoHockey) October 21, 2024

Commissioner Cathy Engelbert decided to wear a dress with the New York skyline on it, too. Tough look. Lack of awareness, of this magnitude, is truly incredible. How bad was some of the officiating in last night’s contest? You take a look for yourself…

Not only did Breanna Stewart take about ten steps before dribbling, but the referees then incorrectly ruled a shooting foul on Minnesota forward Alanna Smith. After the game Cheryl Reeve talked about just how upset she was the game had been taken from them.

Breanna Stewart traveling in slo-mo actually just makes me more mad.

I need to watch a rom-com or true crime. Anything but sports. pic.twitter.com/36Po4V9ORw
— Nadine Babu (@NadineBabu) October 21, 2024

Cheryl Reeve:

"I know all the headlines will be 'Reeve cries foul.' Bring it on. Right? Bring it on. Because this shit was stolen from us. Bring it on" pic.twitter.com/P5Ckhsv5H5
— Oh No He Didn't (@ohnohedidnt24) October 21, 2024

WNBA killing momentum with handling of Minnesota Lynx

Women’s basketball has never been more closely consumed. With Caitlin Clark redefining the sport, and a player like Sabrina Ionescu taking center stage during the finals, the WNBA is at a new peak. The league allowing all of the noise to be present as the Minnesota Lynx lost on Sunday night is truly a problem.

The vocal reactions to what transpired came from some very prominent names. It’s genuinely too bad that the Lynx didn’t have a more fair shot to close out a victory they had well within their reach. The official WNBA account has put the Liberty on a parade since the final horn last night.

I’m sorry but that wasn’t a foul! Let the damn players dictate the outcome of a close battled tested game. 🤦🏾‍♂️
— LeBron James (@KingJames) October 21, 2024

Missed a walk before the foul…
— David Aldridge (@davidaldridgedc) October 21, 2024

I haven’t seen one HOOPER agree with that end of regulation foul call 😂
— alexis (@alexisfromvegas) October 21, 2024

While the most egregious tweet may have been deleted, a commissioner celebrating so obviously with the victors is a bad look for the league, especially after how bad it looked like the game was rigged for the Liberty to win. As women’s basketball grows in popularity, it would be wise for those that govern it to get out of the way.