WNBA addresses Breanna Stewart’s timeout concerns after Liberty’s overtime loss
The WNBA’s review of the disputed finish between the Atlanta Dream and New York Liberty brought new attention to a crucial timeout decision in Game 2 of their semifinal series. Breanna Stewart questioned whether officials had correctly communicated New York’s remaining reset timeout during the closing seconds of Atlanta’s 101-98 overtime victory.
The league later acknowledged a misunderstanding and said the officials had received feedback. Atlanta went on to sweep the series, leaving the timeout controversy as a major talking point from the playoff matchup.
Breanna Stewart raises the timeout issue
Liberty forward Breanna Stewart said after the game that she had asked referee Kevin Fahy whether New York had a reset timeout remaining. According to Stewart, the response she received indicated that the team did not have one available.
Stewart explained that the situation was frustrating because the Liberty believed they could have used the timeout to organize their final possession. Her comments brought attention to the communication between players, coaching staff and officials during the game’s decisive moments.
Officials initially dispute Stewart’s account
After the game, crew chief Fatou Cissoko-Stephens addressed the incident in the officials’ pool report. She said Stewart was standing behind referee Kevin Fahy when he checked with another official about New York’s remaining reset timeout while Angel Reese prepared to shoot free throws.
Cissoko-Stephens said the officials had not directly communicated with anyone on the Liberty team about the timeout. Her account conflicted with Stewart’s description of the exchange, prompting questions about how the information had been conveyed during the final seconds.
The WNBA launches a formal review
The New York Liberty submitted an official inquiry to the WNBA about the disputed timeout communication following their 101-98 overtime loss to Atlanta on October 7, 2026. The league reviewed the matter through its standard inquiry process.
On October 9, the WNBA said it had reviewed multiple video angles and available audio and spoken with those involved. The league confirmed that Stewart had asked Fahy about the reset timeout and concluded that overlapping conversations and nonverbal exchanges had caused a misunderstanding.
The league acknowledges a misunderstanding
On October 9, 2026, the WNBA released its findings before Game 3 of the semifinal series. The league confirmed that video and audio showed Stewart asking referee Kevin Fahy about the reset timeout.
The WNBA attributed the confusion to overlapping conversations and nonverbal exchanges among the referees, game participants, Stewart and Liberty bench personnel. It said the officials could have handled the interactions better and had received feedback.
The league explains the officials’ communication
The WNBA’s statement identified a misunderstanding among the people involved, rather than confirming every detail of Stewart’s account. The league acknowledged that the communication could have been handled more effectively and said the officials had received feedback.
The statement did not announce a change to the result of Game 2. It also said no further follow-up was expected at that time, bringing the league’s formal review to a close while leaving the disputed exchange central to postgame coverage.
Interesting fact: The Atlanta Dream joined the WNBA in 2008.
Understanding the reset timeout rule
WNBA rules allow each team 2 regular team timeouts during an overtime period and 1 reset timeout in the final 2 minutes of that period. A reset timeout allows a team to advance the ball while making substitutions, but players cannot gather for a traditional huddle.
New York had not used its reset timeout when the final possession of Game 2 began. Using it would have allowed the Liberty to inbound the ball from the frontcourt rather than the backcourt, potentially creating a better opportunity to attempt a tying 3-pointer.
Interesting fact: The New York Liberty won their first WNBA championship in 2024.
Stewart’s final shot misses
Angel Reese made 2 free throws with 4.3 seconds remaining to give Atlanta a 101–98 lead in Game 2. New York then inbounded from the backcourt without using its remaining reset timeout.
Atlanta disrupted the long inbound pass, but the ball reached Breanna Stewart, whose desperation attempt missed as time expired. The Dream secured the overtime victory and a 2–0 series lead.
Chris DeMarco addresses the confusion
Before Game 3, Liberty head coach Chris DeMarco said New York should have pushed harder for clarity about its remaining reset timeout. He also said someone on the bench was responsible for tracking the team’s timeouts.
DeMarco emphasized preparing for Game 3 rather than dwelling on the disputed exchange. The WNBA released its findings shortly before tipoff on October 9, and Atlanta subsequently won 85–83 to complete a 3–0 semifinal sweep.
Atlanta capitalizes on New York’s mistakes
The disputed timeout was not the only factor in New York’s defeat. Sabrina Ionescu lost possession by throwing the ball out of bounds with the Liberty trailing by one point and fewer than 10 seconds remaining in overtime.
Atlanta had also benefited from a defensive breakdown that allowed Naz Hillmon to score the go-ahead layup with 20.8 seconds left. These plays helped determine the result independently of the timeout confusion, which did not erase the other decisive moments of the game.
Angel Reese and Jordin Canada lead Atlanta
Angel Reese scored 23 points for Atlanta, including two free throws in the closing seconds that extended the lead to three. Jordin Canada also finished with 23 points and added eight assists, helping the Dream maintain their offense during a closely contested overtime period.
Naz Hillmon supplied the decisive layup, while Atlanta won despite missing leading scorer Allisha Gray because of a left-hand injury. The team’s 101-98 victory demonstrated that several players contributed directly to the result beyond the final timeout dispute.
Breanna Stewart delivers a major scoring performance
Stewart scored 35 points in Game 2, including 25 in the first half, giving New York a major offensive contribution throughout the contest. Despite her scoring output, the Liberty could not secure the victory in regulation or overtime.
Marine Fauthoux also made an important contribution by hitting a three-pointer with 10.3 seconds left in regulation to tie the score. Atlanta’s Rhyne Howard then missed a potential game-winning shot before the teams entered overtime, extending a game that eventually became the focus of the league’s review.
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The review does not change the result
The WNBA’s review acknowledged shortcomings in the communication surrounding the reset timeout but did not change the 101-98 result of Game 2. Atlanta went on to defeat New York 85-83 in Game 3 on October 9, 2026, completing a 3-0 sweep of the best-of-five semifinal series.
The league said overlapping conversations and nonverbal exchanges had caused a misunderstanding and confirmed that officials had received feedback. The incident raised questions about communication and timeout management during critical playoff possessions, while Atlanta advanced to the WNBA Finals.
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This slideshow was made with AI assistance and human editing.
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