The WNBA Has Another Embarrassing Situation on Its Hands

Paige Bueckers and Angel Reese were seen in a video making a bet on a Wings-Dream game. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The WNBA continues to be in the news for all the wrong reasons. That continued Thursday when the league put out a ridiculous statement about a video it posted on social media earlier in the week that showed two of its best players placing a bet on their game.

In case you missed it, Paige Bueckers and Angel Reese were shown in the video placing a $400 wager on Wednesday night’s Wings-Dream game. The WNBA posted the video on its social media with the caption saying “We did?” with a laughing face emoji. The league then doubled down on it by adding: “Paige Bueckers on the bet she made with Angel Reese at All-Star Weekend on tonight’s matchup.”

BACCELLIERI: With Job Status Still Hazy, WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert Can’t Get Out of Her Own Way

The WNBA quickly deleted the video after just about everyone on the internet questioned why a professional sports league would be showing off two players betting money on a game that they were going to be playing in. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to realize that’s a really bad look.

Because it’s the internet, though, the video lived on:

LMAOO THEY DELETED https://t.co/1VnX0tUEh2 pic.twitter.com/ZNQAvHLJZD

— correlation (@nosyone4) July 29, 2026

The WNBA, realizing it couldn’t hide from the deleted video, released the following statement on Thursday:

“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. 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.”

How something like that video was not only made but then shared to millions of followers on social media is astounding. How could anyone think that it would be seen as “lighthearted” when it was two star players agreeing to betting money on a game that they would be playing in? It should have been an idea that was laughed at in a meeting and then never brought up again. Instead, it went out to the world and now the WNBA has a big problem on its hands.

WNBA’s rules on players gambling

The WNBA, like every other professional sports league, bars players from betting on games. The league’s new CBA clearly states that players who are caught doing that can be suspended or even thrown out of the league forever.

From the CBA: “Any player found by the Commissioner after a hearing to have been guilty of wagering (directly or indirectly), or of offering or attempting to wager, money or anything of value on the outcome, score, or any other aspect of any WNBA Competition shall, in the sole discretion of the Commissioner, be subject to a fine, suspension, and/or dismissal and disqualification from any further association with the WNBA.”

Reese and Bueckers were clearly seen doing just that in the video. Bueckers had a chance to distance herself from it at the end of the video but instead she went all in, saying, “Bet. I’ll stand on it. I’ll stand on it.”

WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert has been under fire for a number of issues recently, with more and more people calling for her job. Now she has to deal with another scandal that has gone viral and makes everyone on the outside wonder what in the heck is happening inside the league.

Earlier this month Engelbert went viral for canceling an interview with the Dan Patrick Show at the last moment. Patrick then went off on her during his show.

“You’re the commissioner, and you’re listening to the PR department, which is fine, but did you check with PR before you said yes to us?” Patrick said. “We promoted it all day yesterday. Now, look, I know people get busy, people have agendas. It was her opportunity to finally say, ‘Hey, you can ask me the tough questions, okay?’ I thought this was going to be a good thing for the WNBA because people still want answers here. There are so many people who have an opinion and agendas here, and this was a chance to sit down. And yes, would the questions be tough? Yes, yes. And I’m sure that had something to do with it.”

Patrick added:

“It’s just disappointing. ... If you want to be treated as a serious league, this is what happens! These are tough questions, but this is a fair outlet for you, a fair platform. I will treat you with respect.”

Dan Patrick on WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert cancelling her appearance on the show:

"If you want to be treated as a serious league, this is what happens! These are tough questions, but this is a fair outlet for you – a fair platform. I will treat you with respect." pic.twitter.com/15VOBZIxAd

— Dan Patrick Show (@dpshow) July 10, 2026

Now Engelbert and the WNBA will face even more tough questions over a less-than-ideal situation that it created.

Not great.

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