The Atlanta Dream are headed to the WNBA Finals for the first time since 2013, riding high on Angel Reese’s intense defense and fiery court presence. But not everyone is thrilled with how officials have handled the Dream’s star. Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham recently dropped a bombshell on her “No Hesitation” podcast, arguing Reese should have been tagged with a technical foul for chasing New York Liberty star Sabrina Ionescu down the court during the semifinals, calling the lack of a call “absolutely insane.”
Reese’s Playoff Firestorm Ignites Controversy
Reese’s intensity has been a major storyline throughout the playoffs, especially during the Dream’s sweep of the New York Liberty. The Dream clinched their spot in the finals with an 85-83 win in Game 3 on October 9, but that game alone featured two heated moments involving Reese that have people talking.
In the first half, Reese got denied at the basket by Liberty forward Jonquel Jones. The two players immediately went chest-to-chest, leading to both being assessed technical fouls after being separated. Reese was later fined $500 for that technical, which was already her second of the playoffs. But the second incident is where things really got wild. Later in the game, after Ionescu set a hard screen on Dream guard Isobel Borlase, Reese tracked Ionescu all the way down the court, yelling in her ear. Shockingly, Reese was not called for a technical on that play, even though ESPN analyst Rebecca Lobo clearly stated on the broadcast that a tech was absolutely warranted.
Cunningham Rips Into “Weird and Inconsistent” Officiating
Cunningham pulled no punches on her “No Hesitation” podcast, making it clear she respects Reese’s competitiveness, but has serious issues with the officiating. “Angel, I appreciate her having her teammates’ back. That just shows that she cares and that she loves for her teammates,” Cunningham said. That’s a fair take on Reese’s passion, right? But here’s where Cunningham got fired up.
“Here’s my thing. If you’re going to chase someone down the court and get in someone’s ear, that should be a tech anytime. That should be a tech.” She went on to argue that such a move would always draw a technical foul during the regular season. “It’s going to be a tech in the regular season,” Cunningham added. She clarified her stance, saying that “if she were to stay on her side and just kind of yell and say something, I’m all for that,” but the aggressive chase-down should have been a foul. The fact that Reese didn’t get a tech for that? Cunningham said, “I think that’s absolutely insane.”
Flipping the script, Cunningham also thought the double technical given to Reese and Jonquel Jones earlier in the game was totally unnecessary. “With the JJ, when she drove and got blocked, I wish that they wouldn’t have gave either of them a tech. I think that’s good playoff basketball,” she stated. “I’m like, let them talk a little [expletive] to each other and then like their teams separate. Like, I think that’s fine. So it’s just so weird and inconsistent.” She made her point even clearer: “If you’re gonna not call someone chasing someone down on the court and talking [expletive] to them, then if someone gets a block and they just go like this and Angel sticks her ground too, don’t call a tech. Let them play good hard basketball.”
So, as the Atlanta Dream prepare to face the Golden State Valkyries in the WNBA Finals starting October 17, the question of consistent officiating and how much fire is too much fire will definitely be hanging in the air. Get ready for some serious basketball, but maybe also a few more spicy takes from the players on the calls or non-calls that define these games!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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