Las Vegas Aces head coach Becky Hammon was ejected in the second quarter of a 97-82 loss to the Atlanta Dream last Tuesday after picking up two technical fouls in quick succession, and now the officiating crew chief has offered a detailed explanation of exactly what triggered the ejection. Hammon received her first technical for walking onto the playing court to dispute a previous call, then earned a second — and automatic ejection — after aggressively pursuing the official who made the original call.
Crew chief Roy Gulbeyan said Hammon entered the court to complain about the previous play and acted in an unsportsmanlike manner, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal. Under WNBA rules, a player or coaching staff member is ejected immediately after a second technical foul in the same game, the same rule that applies automatically to a flagrant 2 foul. Per Gulbeyan, the WNBA league office will review the play that preceded the confrontation after the fact.
Aces coaching staff and star center A'ja Wilson stepped in to restrain Hammon as the situation escalated on the sideline, the Review-Journal reported. As of August 19, the WNBA had not issued any official statement about the play itself or indicated whether Hammon might face an additional suspension or fine beyond the standard penalty tied to her technical fouls.
The Financial and Historical Stakes
Under WNBA penalty guidelines, the first three technical fouls assessed to a player or coach each carry a $500 fine, meaning Hammon's two technicals last Tuesday — her second and third of the 2026 season — triggered an automatic $1,000 fine, according to Athlon Sports. The outlet also noted the ejection was only the second of Hammon's WNBA head coaching career, with her prior ejection coming in June 2024 against the Los Angeles Sparks.
The moment wasn't without warmth from the Las Vegas crowd. The matchup at Michelob ULTRA Arena drew an official attendance of 10,219, and per WNBA.com, many fans applauded and gave Hammon high-fives as she walked off the court following her second technical.
Atlanta Seized the Momentum
Immediately after Hammon's ejection with 5:06 left in the second quarter, the Dream went on a 10-2 run and outscored Las Vegas 28-16 in the period, building a lead they never relinquished, per Just Women's Sports. Assistant coach Charlene Thomas-Swinson took over acting head coaching duties for the final 25 minutes after Hammon was escorted off the floor, CBS News reported. The 97-82 defeat snapped a stretch in which Atlanta hadn't won in Las Vegas in six straight tries, marking the Dream's first road win over the Aces since July 19, 2022, according to WNBA.com.
Wilson backed her coach afterward, telling reporters Hammon was “rightly so, upset with the no call” on a drive where Wilson believed she'd been fouled, per the same Just Women's Sports account. The loss also had standings consequences: it temporarily allowed the Indiana Fever, at 24-12, to leapfrog the Aces' 24-13 mark for third place in the WNBA standings on the head-to-head tiebreaker, Sports Illustrated reported.
A Season of Officiating Grievances
Hammon's blowup fits a broader pattern of frustration with officiating this season. Following a late-May road loss to the Dallas Wings, she criticized a disparity in free-throw attempts, pointing out that Awak Kuier attempted more free throws than Wilson, Jackie Young and Chennedy Carter combined, while Wilson attempted just one free throw and Young and Carter attempted none. Hammon said at the time that the Aces weren't getting the same whistle as their opponents.
More recently, after a July 13 loss to Indiana, Hammon criticized the league's replay review process as “exhausting,” arguing that constant reviews encourage “more drama” across the league, according to a report cited on Reddit. Hoodline covered that Fever matchup as part of the Aces' 2026 season, and the coach has voiced concerns about league operations before, including in comments Hoodline reported putting WNBA brass on notice last November.
Aces Bounce Back to Close Homestand
Two nights later, Las Vegas answered with a decisive response. The Aces closed their five-game homestand with a 101-78 win over the Connecticut Sun, led by Jackie Young's 24 points and Wilson's 20, according to Newsday. The victory pushed Las Vegas to 25-13 as the team continues jockeying for playoff positioning down the stretch.
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