"Got a tech tonight for saying 'ball don’t lie'" - Chicago Sky forward Michaela Onyenwere gets Rasheed Wallace-esque foul after chirping at referee

Chicago Sky forward Michaela Onyenwere channeled her inner Rasheed Wallace last night, but it wasn't for a ferocious dunk or a game-winning three. Instead, Onyenwere earned a technical foul the old-school way, with some words directed at the referee.

The incident occurred late in the third quarter, with the Sky trailing by a narrow margin. Walking towards the bench for the substitution, Onyenwere appeared to exchange words with the referee, and she got tech for calling the famous basketball phrase "ball don't lie," a phrase Wallace would often use to express his displeasure with calls.

As for Onyenwere, she was dissatisfied with the tech received from the referee and she let it be known to the world as she took to X to show her disappointment, saying:

For those unfamiliar with NBA lore, Rasheed Wallace was best known for his legendary confrontations. Whenever the threat of a bad call seemed to be looming, his signature phrase of "ball don't lie" would be followed by rocking his head back and forth in disgust. Wallace frequently picked up his technicals for more demonstrative outbursts and more street-style culture.

This isn't the first time Wallace's "ball don't lie" mantra has echoed in the WNBA. In 2020, Seattle Storm forward Breanna Stewart used the phrase after a questionable foul call.

Michaela Onyenwere's performance against the Washington Mystics

The Chicago Sky almost made a comeback against the Washington Mystics on Friday night but fell short, with Washington winning 83-81. The main story was Chicago forward Michaela Onyenwere's performance, with the exception of a technical foul that caused a stir among WNBA fans.

Onyenwere wasn't shy on defense, but scoring was an issue. After coming off the bench, the Chicago forward scored just five points in just 2-of-7 shooting from the field, also dishing out two assists while playing 15 minutes in the game.

With the game tightly contested in the fourth quarter, Onyenwere was right in the thick of it, sparking a 10-0 run with a key steal and a fastbreak layup, but eventually, that was not enough, and the Chicago Sky lost the game by just two points to the Washington Mystics.

The technical was far from the only reason the Sky lost this game, but it derailed their momentum.