Natasha Cloud is fed up with WNBA officiating.
Following the Washington Mystics’ 97-92 loss to the Minnesota Lynx on Wednesday, Cloud called out the referees in no uncertain terms. The Mystics “do not get calls,” she said. She also noted that she did not care about a potential fine, saying: “I’m going to get my money’s worth.”
“I don’t care what pipeline refs we have coming through. I don’t care,” she told the Washington Post’s Kareem Copeland. “We have to do our job every single night. You need to do yours. This is bull—t. This is f–king bull–t.”
The Mystics were cited for 18 personal fouls, resulting in 23 free throws shot by the Lynx, of which they made 19. Meanwhile, the Lynx were called for just eight fouls, and the Mystics went 4-of-4 on their free throws.
“This is crazy. Can’t even do our jobs and have an even game,” Cloud continued. “Four to f–king 24. We shot four free throws for 40 minutes. Four free throws. … It’s real. And the Washington Mystics are tired of not getting f–king calls.”
As the final score showed, the Mystics and the Lynx played a close game, so the free throw discrepancy affected the game’s result. And this is not the first time this season that a Mystics player has called out officiating issues
Elena Delle Donne, who missed the majority of the past three seasons with injuries, called out WNBA referees in May, saying that she is being treated “like a rookie.” Delle Donne has been out since July 9 with an ankle injury.
“I’m just going to say it,” Delle Donne said. “I’m so sick of being treated like a rookie with calls. If I get fined — whatever. It’s unbelievable. I’ve been through too many back surgeries to — whatever.
“I just keep attacking, in the end I hope that because I can elevate and jump over people, you can see that my arm is getting hit. I just keep attacking and hoping that it’ll change. Hopefully it’ll change next game, but there’s really nothing you can do in those moments.”
