Cheryl and Sheryl have finally found a point of contention! In 2024, they both fired shots at Caitlin Clark and praised each other in separate, unrelated contexts. But the Minnesota Lynx head coach’s comments on the New York Liberty after losing the Finals to them have inflamed Sheryl Swoopes.

The retired player references Reeve’s comments on officials when discussing the post-game press conference on Gil’s Arena podcast. But Swoopes clarifies, “My thing to Minnesota is, again, you can’t have Stewie and Sabrina have those types of games and you not win. Then the refs don’t even come in play on that. That’s just my personal opinion.” What should be noted is that Sabrina Ionescu went 1 for 19, while Breanna Stewart had the infamous foul against Lynx’s Alanna Smith.

While Ionescu has been a force to be reckoned with this season as well as the playoffs (remember her Game 4 clutch heroics?), Game 5 was maybe not the best example Swoopes could have given. And for Stewart, who has won her third championship, it was an even more controversial call as she had already missed two shots from the stripe to tie the game. When Smith’s foul occurred, she forced the game into overtime and eventually helped the Liberty win.

While Reeve has been loudly and proudly calling foul over the whole situation, Sheryl Swoopes is taking the opposite stance. She believes the refs could have done better, yes, but New York won their championship fair and square.

“I thought the officiating was awful the entire season, but even in the playoffs…so in Game 4, Sandy Brondello had the same complaint…Refs are always gonna mess up. I think refs are always going to be in a situation where we’re never going to agree with all their calls, ever,” Swoopes continued.

She does later agree that she might have made the same call as Reeve when the coach said there were inequalities in judgment because there were so many other fouls that should have been called but weren’t. But then Swoopes also points out Minnesota’s 8 free throws to Liberty’s 25, saying it was “meant to be” for New York.

But as it turns out, Cheryl Reeve is not the only head coach coming under fire for that controversial foul from Stewart.

Sandy Brondello’s comments to Breanna Stewart come to light

The Barclays Center was rocking with celebration as the Liberty finally clinched their first franchise championship, but not everyone in the basketball world was thrilled with how it went down. Big names like LeBron James and Candace Parker, along with a vocal section of the fanbase, questioned a controversial foul call late in the game. And while some may dismiss Cheryl Reeve’s frustrations as overblown, there’s no denying that her Lynx team felt the sting of what they saw as an unfair play.

What really sparked the conversation was the mic’d up moment when Liberty coach Sandy Brondello was caught telling Breanna Stewart, “If they foul you, embellish it.” It’s a bit of strategy that certainly doesn’t sit well with everyone—especially after a hard-fought series that saw the Liberty come in as the No. 1 seed. But let’s be real—this isn’t the first time a coach or player has leaned into the theatrics in a high-stakes moment. Veteran players know how to use the system, and seasoned coaches like Brondello aren’t above encouraging a bit of drama to tip the scales.

For Reeve and the Lynx, this foul call feels like a gut punch—a moment they’ll look back on and wonder “what if.” For Brondello and the Liberty, it’s a long-overdue moment of triumph, bringing a championship back to New York after nearly half a decade of waiting. Sure, critics may argue the refs had a hand in the outcome, echoing Reeve’s postgame frustrations, but the truth is overturning that call wouldn’t necessarily have secured Minnesota’s 5th championship either.

It’s just one of those classic basketball moments where every little play is up for debate—but only one team walks away with the trophy.