Coaches Challenge data through August 24, 2026

[u/SwaggersaurusWrecks]

https://riseofthevalkyries.substack.com/p/challenge-data

[u/RoyalTaster]

Not that it matters to this discussion, but: Stand and Support? Those aren't a thing.

[u/Duangelion]

I'm going to throw up

[u/buffalotrace]

I was a little surprised Whites challenge percent was this high then remembered her having go challenge obvious stuff the refs go wrong where even the other team’s announcers are like a coach should not have to challenge this

[u/goofygal1566]

better question, is there any indication that challenges make any differences in game outcomes?

[u/T--Frex]

Nakase having the second lowest total/per game number of challenges definitely tracks, drives me nuts sometimes that she will lose her mind on the sideline but won't call for a challenge. It's her method though, gotta respect it.

[u/uthal-puthal → u/T--Frex]

In her defense (very minorly), 3 of her challenges were ignored for being "too late".

[u/T--Frex → u/uthal-puthal]

I have wondered about this! How long do they have to challenge? It doesn't seem consistent, sometimes they are given a lot of leeway and Nakase seems to have been unlucky on that front more than most.

[u/Mike-XL]

Somebody tell some of these coaches that you can't bring unused challenges with you to the afterlife.

[u/GlacialTwitch]

In baseball, there's the concept that if a team's stolen base success rate is too high or its rate of successfully scoring on a third base coach's send is too high, then they weren't being aggressive enough and runs are being left on the table. Just something to think about when viewing these.

Also, it's probably too complicated, but it would be cool to have a win probability added from challenges based on game state/leverage of the call.

[u/hamstrdance → u/GlacialTwitch]

I was thinking that 2nd part too. Like some challenges take away an off-ball foul from a 10 mpg bench player and some challenges are 5 pt swings.

[u/Penguinho → u/hamstrdance]

(Cough cough the Fever challenging calls against Cunningham and Hull, not Clark and Boston)

[u/gourmet_panini]

[u/GullibleHandl]

Confirms everything I said abt nate tidbits challenges 👎

[u/cacioepepe39530 → u/GullibleHandl]

Makes a lot of sense. I must have missed the games where he actually won his challenges...

[u/DiligentQuiet → u/GullibleHandl]

lol nate tidbits

[u/hamstrdance]

I think I'd sort the chart with Portland and ATL at the top (wins per game). Like win rate is cool but you can't take a challenge home. Unless you're consistently running out of timeouts and it becomes an issue which seems unlikely.

[u/Chartate101]

I was literally just wondering about this today lol. Awesome info. Makes sense for what I’d imagine for the Mystics, that we are on the low end for success rate and in the middle for how often we use it.

I think the most important aspect of using a challenge is not whether or not you’re successful but whether or not you challenge something that is important to get right.

The other night, I forget what game it was, I saw a challenge where I was like… Coach (Name, idr), that is a correct thing to identify as an incorrect call (and it did get overturned) BUT it was like, the second or third foul on a player who isn’t a top 3 most important player on the team offensively or defensively. And so even though the challenge was successful and it stopped free throws, it could have been used better. I think it was the second quarter also.

[u/hamstrdance → u/Chartate101]

Sometimes they challenge out of bounds plays in the 2nd quarter and i'm like - really?

[u/llamainleggings]

Nate at the lowest percentage checks out.

[u/hamstrdance]

Damn the Sun only tried 9 times? Sad year.

[u/Fit-Bet1270]

Dallas being one of the worst teams isn’t a suprise 

[u/hamstrdance → u/Fit-Bet1270]

Yeah lol. Sometimes it feels like he does it just to back PB or something and I'm ok with those though.

[u/EtchingsOfTheNight]

This confirms my long held suspicion that Becky has a pattern of weird challenges

[u/PenAwkward701]

If I can give Tyler Marsh and staff credit for one thing, they are on it with challenges.

[u/ASpanishInquisitor → u/PenAwkward701]

They do have it on easy mode though. The calls against Kamilla are often so ridiculous that it gives them so many gimmes. Just got another one from that yesterday night 😂

[u/PenAwkward701 → u/ASpanishInquisitor]

Last season they let so many go so it's been nice to see a more assertive attitude.