WNBA Faces Backlash for Removed Social Media Bet Post

The WNBA stirred controversy on social media with a deleted post from its official account. The incident happened prior to a game between the Atlanta Dream and the Dallas Wings.

The league had shared a video featuring Paige Bueckers and Angel Reese, where they appeared to joke about a $400 bet on their upcoming match. Observers saw this as a possible breach of league policy and the video was quickly taken down.

On Thursday, the WNBA issued a statement via The Athletic. The league noted the post’s intended playful nature but reiterated the importance of its policies. Players are routinely reminded against engaging in or discussing bets related to WNBA games.

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.

It emphasized the need to use this situation to stress to involved players that even joking about wagers could lead to unintended consequences.

In the game, the Atlanta Dream defeated the Dallas Wings with a close score of 82-81. Reese’s performance included 22 points, 12 rebounds, four assists, and four steals. Bueckers contributed 16 points, six assists, and four rebounds.

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