WNBA Addresses Social Media Post Involving Paige Bueckers and Angel Reese

The WNBA recently addressed a social media post that depicted star players Paige Bueckers and Angel Reese placing a $400 bet on a game between their respective teams. The league acknowledged that the post ‘missed the mark’ and stated that no punishment would be given to the players. This information was shared by a source familiar with the situation who requested anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter.

The controversial post was initially shared during All-Star Weekend. It showed Bueckers, representing the Dallas Wings, and Reese, from the Atlanta Dream, seemingly making a personal wager on their upcoming game. The post included a caption suggesting lightheartedness, ‘We did?’ accompanied by a laughing emoji and further reference to their mock bet.

Once the post was published, it quickly spread across social media, prompting the WNBA to delete it. They clarified that the post was intended to be humorous but did not align with the league’s strict policies against betting on its games. Players undergo annual training to understand 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,” a league spokesperson said.

The league seized this as an opportunity to remind players about the potential negative consequences of joking about betting on official games. Both the Dallas Wings and the Atlanta Dream deferred to the league’s statement when approached for comments.

According to the league’s collective bargaining agreement, any form of wagering is prohibited. Players could face fines, suspensions, or disqualification at the commissioner’s discretion. Despite the incident, the Atlanta Dream triumphed over the Dallas Wings, coming back from a 15-point deficit to win 82-81. During the game, Reese scored 22 points with 12 rebounds, while Bueckers contributed 16 points and six assists.

For further updates on the WNBA, visit their official page.