This week on The IX Sports Podcast Basketball Edition, host Howard Megdal spoke with coaches and players in Chicago for the Women\u2019s National Basketball Association (WNBA) All-Star Game. He and co-host Jackie Powell discuss the takes those coaches and players have on officiating and player safety.<\/p>\n
The pair started with an analysis of comments from Minnesota Lynx Head Coach Cheryl Reeve. <\/p>\n
\u201cSo here I am with a microphone in front of me, saying that I think the officiating is in a good space, a better space. We\u2019ve made progress. Are we perfect? No one\u2019s ever going to be perfect,\u201d Reeve said. \u201cSo we\u2019re striving for perfection from officials. It\u2019s never going to happen. We\u2019re going to be disappointed.\u201d<\/p>\n
When Megdal brought up the idea of an official replay booth, Reeve said it was \u201can appropriate line of questioning\u201d for WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert. <\/p>\n
Powell said that the idea of a replay booth played into the \u201cidea of accountability\u201d from players and coaches. Something like a replay center with an independent reviewer could be a step toward that accountability that they are seeking, she said. <\/p>\n
New York Liberty forward Breanna Stewart<\/a> said in response to questions from the media Friday that she thinks officiating has \u201ckind of settled down\u201d from the beginning of the season. <\/p>\n \u201cI just think like the thing that that some of us were on the call with Cathy [Engelbert] about was like the resources, you know, making sure that we\u2019re also investing in the resources \u2026 whether it\u2019s camera angles or the under-two-minute review type things, and like listen, all things cost money. But if you want things to be better, then we need to be willing to like put that money there,\u201d Stewart said. <\/p>\n Megdal told Powell that every player he spoke with felt the same way as Stewart. Powell called a move toward more camera angles and a formalized review process a step toward professionalization in the WNBA. <\/p>\n On the topic of protecting players from harassment, Jonquel Jones<\/a> said she didn\u2019t know an app to protect players from harassment on social media was even available to WNBA players until earlier this week. <\/p>\n \u201cBut I do think it\u2019s something that we as players have to make sure we\u2019re reaching out to each other and letting them know because having apps like that can really help, you know, with our experience,\u201d Jones said. <\/p>\n Los Angeles Sparks forward Nneka Ogwumike<\/a>, president of the Women\u2019s National Basketball Players Association, said Friday that the WNBA is doing \u201ca good job\u201d implementing a program to filter out hate. <\/p>\n \u201cBut I think that our call on Monday was to try and figure out what else, what more we can do,\u201d she said, referencing a conversation between league and WNBPA representatives. \u201cBut I do know players feel as though they they want to feel a sense of accountability for the interactions that that that are taken way too far.\u201d<\/p>\n Tune in to the episode to hear what Toronto Tempo guard Marina Mabrey<\/a> had to say on the topic of online harassment, and more, in this week\u2019s episode. <\/p>\n<\/p>\n Make sure to subscribe to The IX Sports Podcast<\/a> for in-depth coverage of women\u2019s soccer, hockey and basketball; and tune in each weekday morning for a quick overview of the biggest headlines on Women\u2019s Sports Daily<\/a>, like WNBA news and PWHL expansion updates.<\/p>\n