The betting controversy surrounding Angel Reese and Paige Bueckers became the biggest talking point in the league earlier this week. However, sports commentator Jason Whitlock surprisingly skipped the topic from his commentary.

Whitlock was subsequently called out by WNBA fans on X for refraining from commenting on the controversy. Whitlock defended his stand with another Reese-Bueckers comment.

"You know I don't like Paige or Angel, right? I tend to comment on the things I care about," Whitlock wrote on X on Saturday, Aug.1. "I'm weird that way."

Whitlock has held a longstanding dislike for Reese and Bueckers. He has previously called Reese "overrated" and having the "logic of a child." He also called Bueckers doing a "doing a bad man impersonation."

Whitlock has been very vocal with his opinions about Reese and Bueckers on other issues. He has clearly not been dismissive about having opinions about both stars.

Previously, a video of Bueckers and Reese betting $400 on Wednesday's game between Dallas and Atlanta was posted by the WNBA. They said the winner of the game would take $400 from the loser.

While it was a lighthearted exchange between two stars, the league shortly had to delete the wagering video. In a further public statement, the WNBA clarified its stance.

WNBA releases statement regarding Angel Reese-Paige Bueckers wagering video

Shortly after the video was taken down from its social media feed, the WNBA released a statement in clarification. The league claimed the video featured a lighthearted conversation between its stars.

“While the social media post was intended to be lighthearted, WNBA players are well aware of the league’s policies prohibiting betting on WNBA games and receive training every year reinforcing those policies,” the league said in a statement Thursday, per The Athletic. “We recognized that the post missed the mark, removed it shortly after it was published, and addressed the matter internally."

Betting between players, even friendly, is strictly prohibited under the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) that was signed this year.

“We will also use this as an opportunity to reemphasize with the players involved that conversations about wagering on WNBA games, even when intended as a joke, can have negative consequences," the statement further added.

Reese and Bueckers were not subjected to any punishment from the league. however, the exchange indicated a lack of deeper understanding of the policies and the consequences of flouting them.

Do you think the league should have taken stricter action against Paige Bueckers and Angel Reese?

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Written by

Nandjee Ranjan

Edited by

Arundhoti Palit