Sophie Cunningham didn’t hold back on her podcast, calling out “dangerous” plays from Angel Reese and criticizing WNBA officials for “weird” non-calls, all of it happening just ahead of the WNBA Finals Game 1 on Saturday. It’s a bold statement, especially with Reese leading the Atlanta Dream into the championship series, and it puts the officiating crew under a massive spotlight.
Cunningham Fires Shots at Reese and the Refs
Cunningham started by giving props where they’re due, praising Reese for playing hard and appreciating her effort to get “down and dirty” for the ball. She’s a player who goes after it, no doubt. But that’s where the praise stopped cold. Cunningham ripped into Reese, saying, “You can’t tackle someone in the air and then go for someone’s knees and ankles. That’s a dangerous play. Technically, both of those are a little dangerous.” The real kicker, though, was her questioning the officials, “And for those just to go uncalled, is that not weird? Am I missing something?” She even hinted that these “weird” non-calls might be an attempt to protect star players, which is a wild accusation to drop right before the Finals.
The Game 3 Incidents That Sparked the Fire
The plays Cunningham was fuming about both happened in Game 3 of the semifinals between the Dream and the New York Liberty. First up, Reese apparently jumped toward Breanna Stewart for a block after a foul was already called on Rhyne Howard, knocking Stewart to the ground. Seriously? You gotta know when to pull back. The second play went down early in the fourth quarter when Reese dove for a loose ball after officials had already called a timeout, making contact with Marine Fauthoux’s legs. Here’s the kicker: neither of these plays got called for a foul against Reese. Zip. Zero. That’s a tough look when a player’s safety is on the line.
The “Dirty Player” Label and WNBA Officiating Under Fire
This isn’t the first time the “dirty player” label has followed Reese around, stretching back to her college days. An anonymous WNBA general manager even told ESPN back in March 2024 that “Some of the stuff she does is disrespectful to the game,” adding, “The dirty play hurts her for sure.” That’s a brutal assessment from within the league itself. But Cunningham’s comments also shine a light on the bigger problem: WNBA officiating. Players and coaches, like Caitlin Clark and Becky Hammon, have been vocal about the quality of the officiating, and this whole situation just amps up that pressure. It’s on the league to figure out how to clean this up because it’s a real issue.
Despite all the noise, Reese is gearing up for her first appearance in the WNBA Finals, leading the Dream into Game 1 against the Golden State Valkyries at Chase Center this Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET. With the spotlight on her plays and the officials, you just know every call,and non-call,is going to be scrutinized.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleacher Report.
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