"That’s a steal" - 5X NBA champ picks his side on Alyssa Thomas–Napheesa Collier no-call drama

Five-time NBA champion Ron Harper chimed in on the controversial play late in Game 3 of the WNBA semifinals between the Minnesota Lynx and the Phoenix Mercury.

With under 30 seconds remaining, as Lynx star Napheesa Collier attempted to drive, the Mercury's Alyssa Thomas knocked the ball away for a steal. The stars collided, and Collier went down hard, appearing to roll her ankle.

No foul was called as Thomas converted a breakaway layup to secure Phoenix's 84-76 win on Friday.

Former NBA guard Harper was the latest to share his take on the viral play.

"That's a steal," Harper wrote on Saturday in a reply to the NBA Referees' tweet.

Harper played 15 seasons from 1986 to 2001. He was the starting point guard for the Chicago Bulls' three straight championships from 1996 to 1998 and was also a key cog in the LA Lakers' title runs in 2000 and 2001.

Harper is the father of two current NBA players: Ron Harper Jr. and Dylan Harper. The San Antonio Spurs selected Dylan with the No. 2 pick of the 2025 NBA draft. Ron Jr., meanwhile, went undrafted in 2022. This offseason, he signed a non-guaranteed Exhibit 10 contract with the Boston Celtics.

NBA referees chime in on controversial no-call

Many have shared their opinions on the controversial no-call. Some said a foul should have been called on Alyssa Thomas for her collision with Collier, who went down with an apparent ankle injury.

The official NBA Referees account also chimed in on X, defending their WNBA counterparts and saying it was a legal play.

"This is NOT a foul," the NBA Referees tweeted Saturday. "Thomas legally gets to the ball and knocks the ball loose prior to any contact. The leg to leg contact is incidental once the ball is clearly loose. This was correctly judged in real time as a no call as were the subsequent technical fouls."

In the aftermath of the play, Minnesota Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve received a technical foul for her outburst at an official. The WNBA also suspended Reeve for Sunday's Game 4 for her actions after the ejection and her postgame comments directed at the officiating.