RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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See the full story · 7 sourcesPaige Bueckers, Angel Reese avoid suspension -- but WNBA can't avoid another PR ordeal originally appeared on The Sporting News .
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It started as a light-hearted joke between two of the WNBA's brightest young stars.
It ended with the WNBA issuing an official apology, in the latest public relations nightmare for embattled commissioner Cathy Engelbert and the league office.
LMAOO THEY DELETED https://t.co/1VnX0tUEh2 pic.twitter.com/ZNQAvHLJZD
— correlation (@nosyone4) July 29, 2026 Before Wednesday's marquee matchup between Angel Reese's Atlanta Dream and Paige Bueckers' Dallas Wings , the WNBA posted a video on social media that showed the two All-Stars making a $400 wager on the outcome of the game -- ultimately, an 82-81 road win for the Dream.
The bet -- friendly in nature -- was lodged before the WNBA All-Star Game last Saturday, in which Bueckers and Reese were teammates on Team Coop. In the video, Reese bet Bueckers $400 if the Dream won, and Reese alluded to the wager in a post on X after Wednesday's game at College Park Center in Arlington.
MORE : Why WNBA was forced to delete post of Paige Bueckers, Angel Reese promoting betting
Betting is strictly forbidden in the WNBA's new collective bargaining agreement , and though this wager was made in jest between Reese and Bueckers, the league's social team has made a significant mistake in highlighting it.
DUBS IN THE MF CHAT🤪 #cuatrocientos
— Angel Reese (@Reese10Angel) 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 WNBA said in a statement on Thursday. “We recognized that the post missed the mark, removed it shortly after it was published, and addressed the matter internally."
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 Neither Bueckers nor Reese will be suspended for the friendly banter. Nor should they be.
This is another own goal scored by the WNBA under the stewardship of Engelbert , whose tenure as the league's commissioner is rapidly coming to an end.
Engelbert was scrutinized heavily during the tense CBA talks, which ended in an agreement that will prove transformational for players but saw public barbs traded between the union and the league office.
The WNBA simply hasn't been able to escape controversies that have been largely self-inflicted. The league's response toward racism and transphobia has been lacking, and it has empowered bad-faith actors to continue demeaning and devaluing the competition.
The final straw might well be the league's social team forgetting a fairly-straightforward provision in the new CBA, which again reflects poorly on leadership.
Last week, ESPN reported that stakeholders expect Engelbert to step down as commissioner following the 2026 season. As the saying goes, "better late than never."
More WNBA news:
Paige Bueckers, Angel Reese go at each other in intense Wings-Dream battle
Why Wings are ready to deal 'outstanding scorer' before WNBA trade deadline
Angel Reese celebrates major career moment after leading Dream past Wings
Alyssa Thomas' season-best performance is just what Mercury needed
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