Controversy Rises with Deleted WNBA Post Highlighting Player Betting

The WNBA found itself in a social media controversy following a since-deleted post from its official account on Wednesday. The video showed Paige Bueckers and Angel Reese humorously discussing a $400 bet related to their upcoming game. This post raised eyebrows for potentially violating league policies.

Official Response and Policy Reminder

On Thursday, the WNBA addressed the matter through a statement shared via The Athletic. The statement clarified that the intention of the post was lighthearted but emphasized the violation of league rules against betting on games. The WNBA reminded players about the importance of adhering to these rules, noting that players receive annual training to reinforce these policies.

While the social media post was intended to be lighthearted, WNBA players are well aware of the league’s policies prohibiting betting on WNBA games and receive training every year reinforcing those policies. We recognized that the post missed the mark, removed it shortly after it was published, and addressed the matter internally.

The league stated that they would use the incident as a chance to remind the involved players about the potential negative impacts of such conversations, even if made in jest.

Game Recap

The matchup concluded with the Atlanta Dream narrowly defeating the Dallas Wings 82-81. Angel Reese was instrumental, achieving 22 points, 12 rebounds, four assists, and four steals. Paige Bueckers contributed with 16 points, six assists, and four rebounds.

Postgame, Reese humorously remarked, “Yeah, I’ll be requesting my Apple Pay after this. Paige is a great player. To hold her to 16 points, it’s tough.”