It has not been a great Saturday night for the Washington Mystics, especially for their head coach, Sydney Johnson.
With his team trailing the Atlanta Dream by 21 points in the third quarter of a game at Gateway Center in College Park, Ga., Johnson suddenly erupted at a game official.
It was not clear what exactly set off Johnson, but it likely had to do with how he saw the game being officiated. His outburst followed a foul call on Mystics guard Alicia Florez Getino after the rookie challenged Dream star forward Angel Reese’s lay-up attempt.
Johnson had to be held back by Washington coaches and players during his wild crashout that ultimately led to his ejection. Still fuming, the 52-year-old head coach was escorted off the court by security after receiving two consecutive technical fouls.
Here is a video of that heated moment.
Washington Mystics' head coach Sydney Johnson was escorted off the court after this interaction with the officials. pic.twitter.com/rssNiDowBF
— espnW (@espnW) June 7, 2026
Johnson’s fiery moment did not light a fire under his team, either, as the Mystics ended up suffering a 109-77 loss.
That defeat dropped Washington to below .500 at 4-5. It also snuffed out the Mystics’ chance to win consecutive games for the first time in the 2026 WNBA season.
It remains to be seen whether Johnson will be suspended for his actions, as the Mystics now prepare for their next game against Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever on Monday at CareFirst Arena in Washington, D.C.
