Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve was highly critical of the officiating staff in Minnesota’s Game 3 loss to Phoenix in the WNBA semifinals last month.
One of those referees was named an NBA staff official for the 2025-26 campaign.
Jenna Reneau, who was listed as the third official from the Lynx game Reeve was ejected from after storming onto the court following a late no-call that left Napheesa Collier injured, was one of three new hires the NBA announced Wednesday.
Per the NBA’s release, Reneau has worked 30 NBA regular season games as a non-staff official over the course of the last four seasons. She’s officiated nine years in the G-League, working each of the last three G-League Finals, has worked each of the last four WNBA postseasons and referred men’s and women’s games in the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Following the Game 3 defeat, Reeve went to the postgame podium and lamented the lack of calls for Collier and what, in her mind, was excessive physicality. She also called for “a change of leadership at the league level when it comes to officiating. It’s bad for the game.”
“The officiating crew that we had tonight, for the leadership to deem those three people semifinals playoff worthy is (expletive) malpractice,” Reeve added.
Reneau called that game alongside officials Isaac Barnett and Randy Richardson.
Reeve was subsequently suspended for Game 4 of the series — in which the Lynx were eliminated — for her comments.
“We are very pleased to welcome Biniam, Pat and Jenna to our NBA officiating staff,” NBA Executive Vice President, head of referee operations Albert Sanders said in the release. “Each official has consistently demonstrated the growth, professionalism, and performance quality to officiate NBA games on a regular basis.”
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