WNBA Legends Dropped Truth Bombs, And Every Storm Fan Needs To Hear What's Coming For Our Game

Alright, Storm faithful, listen up! You know we live and breathe this league, and some absolute legends just threw down a gauntlet that impacts *our* game, *our* players. We’re talking about two-time WNBA MVPs Candace Parker and Elena Delle Donne, alongside four-time championship coach Cheryl Reeve. They’re getting inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame this Saturday, but on Friday, they weren't holding back about what needs to change with officiating and player protection. This conversation isn't just theory either, because it came just a day after the league *finally* suspended Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas for that hit on Caitlin Clark.

The Legends Speak Up About Player Safety

Parker, Delle Donne, and Reeve all agreed: the WNBA has to do a better job protecting its athletes and cracking down on excessive contact. Parker and Delle Donne, who both wrapped their careers in 2023, know this physicality firsthand. They spent their playing days as post players who moved like guards, taking a ton of hits. Parker, a champ with Los Angeles, Chicago, and Las Vegas, put it bluntly. She said the physicality has always been there, but now with new fans and more visibility, people are finally seeing it. Just because *they* went through it doesn't mean it has to stay that way, she argued. Delle Donne, who won a title with the Mystics and battled back issues her whole career, echoed that. She joked her back definitely wishes there had been more freedom of movement. She wants to see skilled players do their thing, not just get beat up. Yeah, we're

Trade on Every Game with Kalshi

Click Here to sign up to Kalshi — Free $10 when you sign up using our link or use code: ONTAPSEA. The only federally regulated prediction market in the US. Trade on real sports outcomes. Available in all 50 states.

seeing a lot of free throws this season, but she thinks we've got to get through this "learning period" of "OK, we can't crush each other anymore. Let's play good basketball."

When Coaches Get Fed Up With Missed Calls

This isn't just a player issue, either. Last season, Cheryl Reeve, coaching the Minnesota Lynx in the WNBA semifinals, got so incensed she went on an impassioned plea to the league. Why? Alyssa Thomas ran into Lynx forward Napheesa Collier during a steal attempt, injuring Collier’s ankle and knocking her out for the rest of the series. No foul was called, and Reeve rightly ripped the officiating and the league's leadership. She even got suspended for Game 4, which her team ended up losing 3-1. Fast forward to this week, and Thomas was *again* at the center of controversy, appearing to thrust her fist into Clark's neck during a loose ball scramble. Again, no foul was called *during* the game. It took a league review on Thursday to get that suspension. Sound familiar? It’s a pattern, and it’s unacceptable. So, what does this all mean for *our* league, for the Emerald City's own Storm? It means the heat is on the WNBA to actually deliver on player safety, to let these incredible athletes shine without fear of cheap shots and missed calls. We just saw our Storm take down the New York Liberty 99-88 in a tight one. We want to see those high-skill matchups, those amazing plays. We don't want to watch our players, or any players, get sidelined because the refs are letting too much go. This conversation is critical, and we need the league to step up for the sake of the game we all love. Let's hope these legends' words spark some real change.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.