Leave it to the WNBA to turn a friendly $400 wager it promoted into a gambling controversy.
So when Paige Bueckers of the Dallas Wings and Angel Reese of the Atlanta Dream sat together during All-Star Weekend and agreed to a friendly $400 wager on their upcoming matchup, nobody in the room batted an eye. It was harmless banter.
EX-FORDHAM BASKETBALL PLAYERS PERMANENTLY BANNED BY NCAA OVER ALLEGED GAME MANIPULATION BETTING SCHEME
To two young stars whose endorsement deals dwarf their league salaries, $400 is probably couch-cushion change.
Then came the WNBA’s social media team.
Naturally, the league’s social media team couldn’t resist. It clipped the exchange, posted it across the WNBA’s official channels and quoted Bueckers explaining the $400 bet ahead of Wednesday night’s Wings-Dream matchup.
There was just one glaring problem.
The social media team appeared to overlook Section 5(c) of the league’s own Collective Bargaining Agreement.
Under Section 5(c), any player found guilty of wagering money or anything of value on the outcome, score, or aspect of a WNBA competition is subject to fines, suspensions, or outright disqualification.
In its rush to chase clicks, the league publicly showcased a wager that appeared to raise obvious questions under its own CBA.
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The post disappeared quickly, but on the internet, deleting something rarely makes it disappear.
Within minutes, deleting the post only made more people want to see it.
The timing couldn’t have been worse. The WNBA has spent years embracing legalized sports betting, integrating odds into broadcasts and signing lucrative sportsbook partnerships.
Now, Commissioner Cathy Engelbert faces an awkward predicament. Does she punish two of the league’s brightest young stars over a clip her own staff promoted? Or does she look the other way and invite questions about whether the rulebook is optional?
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The real misstep belonged to the league, not the players.
Plus, it’s also safe to say Caitlin Clark probably wouldn’t have made this kind of mistake.
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