Last time Chi-town Barbie stepped onto the court against the Mystics, she was as dominant as ever—but only until she misread the moment. “With all due respect to Angel Reese, I don’t know how you implore your coach to challenge that when you make literal contact—hand to the face,” one broadcaster remarked. It happened in the third quarter when Reese battled for possession and ended up making additional contact with Emily Engstler. Reese then looked to head coach Tyler Marsh for a challenge, which, of course, cost the team a timeout. Looks like the broadcasters calling out the wrong moves isn’t uncommon.

The most recent one, came in yet another Sky vs Mystics game in Wintrust Arena. Just under six minutes into the third quarter, after Ariel Atkins sank an 11-foot jumper to extend Chicago’s lead to 49–36, Kia Nurse was whistled for a personal foul, and then chaos erupted.

While Ariel Atkins was fighting for position in the paint, she collided with Sonia Citron, who was also about to go to the line. The referees called a personal foul on Atkins, but instant replays revealed another truth. “I don’t like this call because there’s a reason why Ariel Atkins squeezed out Sonia Citron—because of Shakira Austin’s physicality. She almost pushed her into Sonia Citron… Watch Shakira Austin,” one broadcaster urged. “She caused the collision… almost pushed [Atkins] into Sonia Citron.”

And yes, replays clearly showed Shakira’s contact forcing Atkins into Citron’s space. Despite the obvious push, no challenge was made. “That would be a hard call,” the broadcaster admitted. But Atkins wasn’t buying it; she argued with the referees to no avail. The real irony? Coach Marsh used a challenge for Reese’s questionable foul, but not for Atkins, when the latter actually had a case. Then again, irrelevant calls or missed fouls by WNBA refs are nothing new.

We’ve already seen the consequences of fans, players, and coaches speaking out. Just ask Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve, who publicly criticized free-throw disparities in last year’s Finals against the Liberty, a game that handed New York a championship. This season, though, it’s gotten worse.

Just consider, Fever vs. Sun matchup wherein refs missed several blatant calls, leading to total chaos and five technical fouls as players took matters into their own hands. And that’s not it, as from Kelsey Plum and Angel Reese to Sabrina Ionescu, nearly every big-name WNBA player has called out officiating inconsistencies. “We know we can compete with the best, but [the officiating] has to be fixed,” the Sky forward had expressed.

Following all the noise, Cathy Engelbert had stepped in to say, “We hear the concerns, we take that input. Every play is reviewed… there’s an independent evaluation of officials, there are ramifications. It’s something we need to continue to work on.”

Nothing’s changed yet. Just recently, Sophie Cunningham was fined $500 for making a TikTok poking fun at the refs, and then again $1500 for speaking up on her podcast. So, yes, the officiating climate has been tense, but at least in today’s game, the Sky didn’t end up paying the price for the disparity!

Ariel Atkins becomes a saviour for the Sky!

Ariel Atkins, while suffering from foul disparity once during the heated matchup, didn’t let that derail her comeback performance. Given she was returning to the court after a seven-game absence due to a leg injury, the former Mystics guard showed no signs of rust as she put up 15 points and dished out five assists.

And yes, despite missing action since July 14, her return came at a crucial time for the Sky, who had lost eight straight games and were reeling from Angel Reese’s continued absence. And though the controversial foul call raised eyebrows, she stayed composed and focused.

She led the offensive charge early, helping the Sky gain momentum after Shakira Austin’s opening layup. And that’s how Sky responded with a powerful 14-0 run, fueled in part by Atkins’ aggressive playmaking and Kamilla Cardoso’s dominance inside the paint.

By halftime, Cardoso had already posted a double-double with 12 points and 10 boards, and Atkins’ leadership helped steady the Sky’s rhythm. And as Chicago shot a season-high 54% from the field and moved the ball beautifully with 22 assists, they snapped both an eight-game losing streak and a six-game skid against Washington. But, it’s just one win. Sky definitely needs more to reverse last year’s fate for the playoffs!