The WNBA found itself walking back one of its own social media posts this week after a lighthearted moment between two of its biggest stars turned into a much bigger conversation. What started as a fun clip quickly became a league-level issue.
The controversy began Wednesday night when the WNBA’s official account posted a video showing Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers and Atlanta Dream’s Angel Reese discussing a $400 bet tied to their respective teams. The video was then quickly deleted by the WNBA’s X account but fans and analysts caught onto it quickly.
Will Angel Reese and Paige Bueckers Be Punished?
Many called for Bueckers and Reese to be suspended after the video went viral within just minutes across social media. But what made matters worse was Reese’s admission after the game. She mentioned during the post-game press conference that she’d be requesting Apple Pay after the Dream walked away with a narrow 1-point victory.
The league deleted the post shortly after it went up, facing criticism for appearing to promote gambling by its own players wagering on their own games, which is explicitly prohibited under WNBA policy. On Thursday, the league issued a formal statement addressing the incident, as ESPN’s Alexa Philippou reported.
WNBA spox statement on a since-deleted post in which Angel Reese and Paige Bueckers bantered about a friendly wager ahead of yesterday’s Dream-Wings matchup:
“While the social media post was intended to be lighthearted, WNBA players are well aware of the league’s policies…
— Alexa Philippou (@alexaphilippou) July 30, 2026
“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,” the league said.
“We recognized that the post missed the mark, removed it shortly after it was published, and addressed the matter internally. We will also use this as an opportunity to reemphasize with the players involved that conversations about wagering on WNBA games, even when intended as a joke, can have negative consequences.”
According to Philippou, neither Reese nor Bueckers will face any punishment over the incident, despite the league’s acknowledgment that the post crossed a line. The Dream and the Wings have not issued a statement about the controversy at the time of writing.
Both Reese and Bueckers have built massive followings since entering the league, and moments like this one tend to spread quickly given how closely fans and the media track their every public move.
Reese has continued to draw attention throughout her Dream tenure since being traded from the Chicago Sky, while Bueckers has emerged as one of the league’s best players with the Wings this season.
Neither player has publicly addressed the deleted post or the league’s statement as of this writing, and it remains to be seen whether the moment will have any lasting impact on how the two are viewed.
