Mercurial WNBA star Brittney Griner was ejected during a game against the Dallas Wings on Wednesday, following a heated confrontation with referee Angelica Suffren.
The incident occurred in the third quarter when Griner, currently playing for the Atlanta Dream, grew upset over a foul call while battling for a rebound with Haley Jones. She then argued with the official.
That argument led to a technical foul being called.
Pleading her case, Griner followed the official and came perilously close to making contact, if not doing so, and she was called for a second technical and ejected from the game.
Despite the ejection, the Dream secured an 88-85 victory, with Naz Hillmon’s clutch 3-pointer sealing the win. Griner finished the game with four points and four rebounds in 16 minutes.
Brittney Griner ejection #WNBA pic.twitter.com/PZlsbYraoc
— TimeoutSPORTS__ (@TimeoutSPORTS3) July 31, 2025
Brittney Griner Facing a Suspension
The league is expected to review the incident involving Brittney Griner and the official. She may face additional penalties, such as a fine or suspension.
While in most leagues, putting hands, or any other part of your body, on an official would result in automatic disciplinary action, it isn’t quite as clear in the ‘W.’
There is no definitive record or general knowledge of a WNBA player receiving a suspension specifically for bumping into a referee. Ejections are common for such incidents; however, these past examples resulted in fines or no further action beyond the ejection, not suspensions.
The league rule book does state that “any additional unsportsmanlike conduct shall be reported by datagram immediately to the Operations Department.”
Will the operations department investigate this incident? Will that investigation lead to a suspension? Only time will tell.
Brittney Griner's behavior was inexcusable. The WNBA should suspend her.https://t.co/NpsYOulbkj
— Outsports (@outsports) July 31, 2025
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Not the First Controversy This Season for Griner
Earlier this season, during a game between the Dream and the Indiana Fever, Brittney Griner sparked controversy after fouling out in an 81-76 loss.
A viral video captured Griner, visibly frustrated, appearing to say something on the bench that some social media users interpreted as an expletive followed by the phrase “white girl.”
It was allegedly directed at Fever star Caitlin Clark.
Despite the WNBA’s continued obsession with investigating racial controversies, such as the Angel Reese incident, which allegedly involved Fever fans and went on for weeks and ultimately yielded no evidence, Griner’s comments have yet to be looked into.
Then there is her most famous controversy from years past.
Griner was arrested in Russia in February 2022 on drug charges for possessing cannabis oil. She was sentenced to 9 years in prison after pleading guilty, claiming it was an accident. She was released in December 2022 as part of a prisoner swap in which the U.S. exchanged her for notorious Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout.
The 10-time WNBA All-Star signed a one-year deal with the Dream during the offseason. Her production has been down this season, but her impact is undeniable as Atlanta has turned into a respectable team after posting a 15-25 record the year before.
