WNBA fines Sophie Cunningham again for criticizing refs: 'They didn't like my comment on Paige Bueckers'
The Indiana Fever guard was fined an undisclosed amount for expressing her frustration with how the officials treated Dallas Wings rookie Paige Bueckers during Aug. 12's game in Indianapolis.
"I love Paige to death, don't get me wrong," Cunningham said on an Aug. 13 episode of her 'Show Me Something' podcast. "I think she's a hell of a player and would love to play with her one day, but those refs were giving her every frickin' whistle last night. Like you literally couldn't touch her. That's just so annoying to me."
Yep, that'll do it.
"I'm officially 3-for-3 on being fined by the WNBA," Cunningham said on her most recent 'Show Me Something' podcast.
"Holy sh--! For this?! For the pod?" co-host West Wilson asked.
"They didn't like my comment on Paige Bueckers... I didn't even say anything bad," Cunningham said.
This marks the third time Cunningham has been fined for speaking out on the officiating this season. She was hit with $500 charge for posting a TikTok about 'some officials' set to Sabrina Carpenter's 'Manchild' on July 23 (she lip-synced the 'Stupid. Or is it slow. Maybe it's useless.' part), then drew a $1,500 fine during the debut episode of her 'Show Me Something' podcast.
On Sunday, Cunningham suffered a season-ending MCL injury when Connecticut's Bria Hartley fell into her leg.
Cunningham's sister Lindsey took to social media after the injury posting: ".@WNBA maybe you should focus less on fining players for commenting on your poor officiating & more about hiring officials that are able to call a consistent game and protect your athletes. Pathetic. Praying for you .@sophaller🙏🏼❤️"
On her podcast released Tuesday night, Cunningham downplayed any malice in Hartley's fall into her legs.
"I know Bria," she said. "I'm actually really good friends with Bria and I have been waiting to get on the pod so we can talk about this."
'There was no ill intent, I think it was a basketball play,' Cunningham continued. 'I was just in the wrong spot at the wrong time (and) she fell. There's no way that she would go in there and potentially try to hurt me. I have nothing but love for Bria … and so I hope people stop giving Bria some heat because I don't think she meant to do that at all.'
With regards to Cunningham's comments on the Wings game's officiating, she was not alone in her frustration. Coach Stephanie White called out the referees for a perceived 'double standard,' citing calls against forward Aliyah Boston — 'I think AB's the worst officiated post player in the league,' she said — and overall inconsistencies.
'If it's going to be physical, and you're going to allow us to be physical, then allow both teams to be physical,' White told reporters during her postgame news conference. 'If you're going to call the holds, and you're going to call the chucks, then call it both ways. So, I mean, I think that we've been pretty consistent in what we're asking for, and I didn't feel like it was consistent.'
In a news conference ahead of the All-Star Game in Indianapolis, WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert said league officiating is something they "continue to work on," and that there is an independent evaluation of officials throughout the season.
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