Dream forward Naz Hillmon faces automatic WNBA fine after Sparks incident originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Naz Hillmon helped the Atlanta Dream complete a successful road trip Monday, but one second-quarter sequence will cost her.
Hillmon was assessed a technical foul during Atlanta’s 78-71 victory over the Los Angeles Sparks. Because it was her second technical of the season, the Dream forward is subject to a $500 fine under the WNBA’s collective bargaining agreement. The technical came with 5:20 remaining in the second quarter, immediately after Hillmon was called for a loose-ball foul.
Hillmon’s first technical foul of the season occurred July 2 against the Washington Mystics.
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WNBA technical-foul penalties explainedUnder the league’s fine structure, players owe $500 for each of their first three technical fouls. The penalty rises to $1,000 for technical fouls Nos. 4 through 7. A player also receives a warning letter after the fifth.
Beginning with an eighth technical, the fine increases to $1,500 and is accompanied by a one-game suspension. Hillmon remains well below the suspension threshold, making the fine the only expected consequence from Monday’s incident.
The moment did not prevent her from making an important contribution. Hillmon finished with 12 points and seven rebounds while shooting 5-of-8 from the field. Atlanta also received a historic effort from Angel Reese, who grabbed a WNBA single-game record 26 rebounds. Reese added 11 points, three assists and three steals as the Dream completed a 4-0 road trip.
The victory improved Atlanta to 25-13 and kept the team fourth in the standings. Hillmon has provided reliable frontcourt production throughout the season. Her performance against Los Angeles demonstrated why she remains an important piece of Atlanta’s rotation, even if the technical created a small financial consequence.
The Dream will return home Friday to face the Portland Fire, followed by a Sunday matchup against the Minnesota Lynx before the WNBA pauses for the FIBA Women’s World Cup.
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