Mercury Coach Nate Tibbetts Torches 'Weak' Ejection After WNBA Finals Loss to Aces
The Las Vegas Aces completed a four-game sweep over the Phoenix Mercury on October 10, thus making them the 2025 WNBA champions.
The depleted Mercury weren't able to put up much of a fight on Friday night, as the loss of Satou Sabally (who suffered a concussion during Game 3) clearly impacted this team's ability to compete on both ends. Las Vegas was clicking on all cylinders on Friday (and throughout the entire series), which was shown by them taking a commanding 30-21 lead after the first quarter.
The Aces (who were led by A'ja Wilson, who scored 31 points, grabbed 9 rebounds, and tallied 4 assists) managed to maintain a double-digit lead for most of the game, and ultimately cruised to a sweep over the Mercury, thus resulting in their third WNBA championship in the last four seasons.
Although the Mercury also deserves credit for making it this far, this was obviously not how they had envisioned their 2025 season coming to an end.
Nate Tibbetts Blasts Ejection Call After WNBA Finals Loss
Mercury head coach Nate Tibbetts was clearly not willing to go down without a fight. He was ejected in the third quarter after arguing with a call for a referee, which resulted in double technicals. The ESPN broadcasters (specifically Rebecca Lobo) were stunned by Tibbetts getting a double ejection, and even Tibbetts appeared confused about what had happened.
Nate Thibbets ejected 😬 pic.twitter.com/sLjOuhLRD4
— Shabazz 💫 (@ShowCaseShabazz) October 11, 2025
Tibbetts spoke with the media after his team's defeat and put the decision to eject him on blast.
"I think it's one of the weakest double technicals ever. I didn't even know I got the second one, to be completely honest," Tibbetts said, per an X post from Ben Pickman of The Athletic. "I just don't understand it. I feel bad for our team, our fans. Like, it wasn't needed, in my opinion.
"Now, I'd love to hear their call. But yeah, it was weak. Weak, weak. I mean, we're playing for our playoff lives. I mean, most coaches, when they get tossed, you're doing it on purpose, right? And that was not my intention at all. But there has been issues with the officiating all year, and to me, that's... I'll have to look at it.
"I feel like I didn't deserve that. But yeah, I thought it was b*******," he concluded.
Nate Tibbetts said it was “bullsh—“ that he got ejected. He said it was one of the “weakest” double technicals he’s ever seen. He added that he did not get an explanation as to why he was ejected, though, he said he deserved a first technical. But a second? He said was “weak” pic.twitter.com/0i6qnjJ94z
— Ben Pickman (@benpickman) October 11, 2025
Just everybody who saw the ejection is thinking the same thing as Tibbetts right now, not that his remaining on the sidelines would have impacted the final score.
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Grant Young covers Women’s Basketball, the New York Yankees, and the New York Mets for Sports Illustrated’s ‘On SI’ sites. He holds an MFA degree in creative writing from the University of San Francisco (USF), where he also graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing and played on USF’s Division I baseball team for five years. However, he now prefers Angel Reese to Angels in the Outfield.
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