On the latest episode of her podcast, Sophie Cunningham sounded off on the WNBA refs giving Paige Bueckers “every freaking whistle” during the Indiana Fever’s loss to the Dallas Wings on Tuesday.
The Wings beat the Fever by a final score of 81-80 in Indiana. Cunningham was called for a flagrant 1 foul on Bueckers just two minutes into the game after Bueckers landed on Cunningham’s foot while shooting a 3-pointer.
“I love Paige to death, do not get me wrong,” Sophie Cunningham said about Paige Bueckers. “I think she’s a hell of a player and like would love to play with her one day, but those refs were giving her every freaking whistle last night.
“Like you literally couldn’t touch her. Couldn’t touch her. And that sh*t is so annoying to me. And you’re gonna do that, then give it to our guards. Like, I just hate the inconsistency.”
Amy Bonner, Eric Brewton and Clare Aubry were the WNBA refs for the Fever-Wings game. Indiana was called for 17 personal fouls, while Dallas was whistled for 19.
Even though the Wings were called for two more fouls than the Fever, Indiana head coach Stephanie White wasn’t happy with how the refs called the game.
“There’s a double standard there certainly,” White said after the Wings defeated the Fever.
“But, you know, if it’s going to be physical, and you’re going to allow us to be physical, then allow both teams to be physical. 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.”
The Fever dropped to 18-15 on the season after losing to the Wings. They still don’t know when two-time All-Star Caitlin Clark will be back. The Iowa product has been out since July 15 due to a right groin injury.
Meanwhile, the Wings improved to 9-24 after beating the Fever. Bueckers, the first pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft, is averaging 18.4 points, 4.0 rebounds, 5.4 assists, 1.8 steals and 0.5 blocks on the season. She will likely win the WNBA Rookie of the Year Award like Clark did last year.
Sophie Cunningham Called Out WNBA Refs for Giving Paige Bueckers Favorable Treatment
Sophie Cunningham felt the refs gave Paige Bueckers “every whistle” in the Fever’s loss to the Wings.
The Fever narrowly fell to the Wings 81–80 on Tuesday, and Indiana walked away from the game displeased once again with the officiating.
Fever guard Sophie Cunningham, who was called for a flagrant foul on Wings guard Paige Bueckers, felt that the star rookie got unfair favorable treatment from the referees during the game. Cunningham was recently fined for criticizing officiating on a prior episode of her podcast, but did not hold back expressing her honest thoughts on the refs again.
“I love Paige to death, do not get me wrong. 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 whistle last night,” Cunningham said on her podcast, Show Me Something. “You literally couldn’t touch her, couldn’t touch her. That s— is so annoying to me. And if you’re going to do that, then to give it to our guards. I just hate the inconsistency.
“We know she’s a good rookie and she’s going to get some whistles, but to get the treatment she got last night was crazy,” Cunningham continued. “… She’s already gonna be a GOAT, she’s gonna be a Hall of Famer, everyone knows it. … But getting some of those whistles already, oh my.”
Fever coach Stephanie White also spoke out about the officiating in the loss, but honed in on the lack of calls on Kelsey Mitchell and Aliyah Boston after the game.
“I think it was a physical game. I think there’s a double standard in how people get their calls,” White said. “I think Kelsey Mitchell, No. 1, is held or chucked on every freaking possession and never gets a call off the ball. I think Aliyah Boston is the worst officiated post player in the league. She never gets a call. There’s a double standard there, certainly. But, again, if it’s going to be physical and you’re going to allow us to be physical then allow both teams to be physical. If you’re going to call the holds and you’re going to call the chucks, then call it both ways.”
