Leave it to the WNBA to stir up a potential gambling drama involving two of its biggest stars, adding a new twist to the league’s narrative.
The league’s official X account recently shared—and later removed—a video featuring Wings sensation Paige Bueckers and Dream’s dazzling Angel Reese. The clip allegedly showcased them engaging in a light-hearted $400 wager during All-Star weekend practice for their matchup on Wednesday night, a nail-biter where Atlanta barely edged out Dallas with an 82-81 victory.
In the uploaded footage, the caption playfully stated: “Paige Bueckers on the bet she made with Angel Reese at All-Star Weekend regarding tonight’s showdown.”
The video, which social media detectives managed to save and circulate, captured Reese brandishing several hundred-dollar bills as both appeared to affirm their friendly gamble. It included a snippet of a voice from behind the camera reminding Bueckers, who flashed an uneasy smile, about the wager on the very day of the game.
“At All-Star Weekend, you and Angel made a bet on this game, is that correct?” queried the camera operator, turning the casual bet into fodder for social media buzz.
“We did?” Bueckers retorts before the video of the bet begins.
The video could become quite the problem for the WNBA and embattled commissioner Cathy Engelbert during a time of high scrutiny of sports betting by pro and college athletes, though this was more of a friendly wager that might quietly go on among highly paid athletes. The WNBA’s CBA has a gambling clause.
It’s stated in Section 5(c) that: “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.”
Engelbert is unlikely to ban Reese or Bueckers, two of the league’s biggest stars, for this, as their wager would have no effect on them doing anything other than trying to win the game even more. The two even shared a heated exchange in the first quarter when Bueckers started clapping theatrically after she was called for a foul for standing her ground on Reese in the post.
Still, the two, by letter of the law, broke a WNBA rule and could face repercussions, along with whoever posted the video to the league’s account in the first place.
The league will likely not want to look like it endorses gambling on games in any way or for this to become a bigger story than it already is.