RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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See the full story · 5 sourcesAtlanta Dream star Angel Reese doesn't care about the PR damage control the WNBA is currently going through.
The WNBA was mercilessly criticized Wednesday after sharing, then deleting, a video featuring Reese and Wings player Paige Bueckers .
The league's social media team inadvertently highlighted one of the most sensitive issues in professional sports: gambling .
WNBA ADMITS CONTROVERSIAL BETTING VIDEO FEATURING ANGEL REESE, PAIGE BUECKERS 'MISSED THE MARK'
Reese and Bueckers agreed to a $400 bet ahead of Wednesday's matchup in Arlington.
After the Dream's narrow 82-81 win, Reese shrugged off the controversy when asked about the wager.
"Yeah, I’ll be requesting my Apple Pay after this," Reese said postgame.
WATCH :
Critics questioned whether this kind of "lighthearted" banter would ever fly in leagues like the NBA.
Others wondered whether Caitlin Clark and Sophie Cunningham would've received the same treatment. Just look at the firestorm surrounding Cunningham , then ask whether the sports media is holding Reese and Cunningham to the same standard.
EX-FORDHAM BASKETBALL PLAYERS PERMANENTLY BANNED BY NCAA OVER ALLEGED GAME MANIPULATION BETTING SCHEME
"[Reese] only admitted it because it was filmed, who knows what other games she bet on?" one critic wrote.
Another chimed in: "I wonder what the WNBA would have done if it was Caitlin Clark and Sophie Cunningham making a $400 wager on a game they are playing in instead of Angel Reese and Paige Bueckers?"
Under Section 5(c) of the WNBA's Collective Bargaining Agreement, players are strictly prohibited from placing wagers , directly, indirectly, or even as a side bet, on any league game. Violations give the commissioner broad authority to impose severe penalties, ranging from fines and suspensions to permanent banishment in order to protect the integrity of the league.
The post sparked immediate questions about potential violations of the league's anti-gambling policy, prompting the WNBA to release a statement addressing the deleted clip on Thursday (as reported by OutKick's Mark Harris ).
The league characterized it as a "lighthearted exchange" and announced no discipline.
"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 statement read.
OutKick reached out for comment on its internal decision-making. We have not received a response.
"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."
Deleting the video solved an immediate public relations problem, but it also compromised the league's standard.
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