Sabrina Ionescu Playfully Compares Breanna Stewart to SGA Amid Free Throw Fest
The officiating in the 2025 WNBA season has quickly become a hotly debated topic with fans and even coaches calling out perceived inconsistencies in the whistles for various teams in the league. So when Breanna Stewart walked away with 19 free throw attempts during the New York Liberty's victory over the Golden State Valkyries on Thursday, it left many spectators stunned.
Even Liberty coach Sandy Brondello was awed at the performance, saying she had “never” seen a player garner as many fouls in a game—acknowledging it as a credit to Stewart's drive to win.
Sandy Brondello was asked if she's seen a player draw 16 fouls like Breanna Stewart did tonight, and Sabrina Ionescu chimed in:
— New York Liberty Videos (@SNYLiberty) May 30, 2025
"SGA" 🤣🤣🤣 pic.twitter.com/686hm4rksd
But it was Sabrina Ionescu's playful nod comparing Stewart to an NBA superstar well-known for his ability to draw a contentious amount of fouls that has been making waves on the internet.
When journalist Lucas Kaplan asked coach Brondello if she had ever seen a player draw so many fouls, Ionescu sat back and said with a grin, “SGA,” referring to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander—the current NBA MVP on the Oklahoma City Thunder, who is famously known for his uncanny ability to get to the charity stripe.
sabrina calling stewie SGA for drawing 16 fouls😂😭😂😭😂😭😭 pic.twitter.com/iI5zxA7lgk
— the grinch. (@WALKEDH0ME) May 30, 2025
While drawing fouls can simply come as a result of assertive play as Brondello suggested, fans online questioned the disparity that saw Stewart make 19 trips to the free throw line—more than the entire Valkyries team combined.
One fan expressed empathy for how the Indiana Fever must have felt after their close matchup with New York last week, where Fever coach Stephanie White called out what she thought was an inconsistent whistle in the loss to the Liberty.
lol I see how the Indiana fever felt now.. offensive foul, then defensive foul.. they are doing everything possible to keep the liberty in the game… this is crazy!!!!!
— Golden State Valkyries Report (@valkyriesreport) May 30, 2025
Others were quick to defend Stewart saying that if you look at the box score, the amount of attempts seem crazy, but were valid for those closely viewing the contest.
If you just look at the box score you’d think this crazy.
— Libs in 4 🗽 🏆 (@ddubxdo) May 30, 2025
If you’re watching the game you’d see that all 19 is VALID https://t.co/PyBbJDOm72
Questioning the refs is nothing new for fans on the losing end of the whistle and it’s unlikely to ever disappear entirely. While elite players like Stewart naturally draw more contact due to their aggressive play, the disparities in foul calls from game to game have fueled growing frustration, both at the start of this season and dating back to the deciding Game 5 of the WNBA Finals.
In a day where fans can highlight every play in slow motion and post receipts to the internet, the league may face mounting pressure to address any inconsistencies—because in today’s game, every call is under a microscope, with many observers crying foul.
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Rosalina Lee is one of the premiere content creators in the women’s basketball space. She has written for such companies as Red Bull Sports and has teamed up with notable brands such as Madison Square Garden, going behind the scenes with the New York Knicks and Rangers. She is currently offering analysis and fresh takes into the world of women’s basketball on her YouTube channel, and now with Indiana Fever On SI and Women's Fastbreak On SI, keeping fans in the loop with all the latest action!
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