Sophie Cunningham Rips WNBA Officials Over Alleged Paige Bueckers Bias
Sophie Cunningham has been using her podcast as an unfiltered outlet to say exactly what’s on her mind—regardless of what she calls the “minor” consequences. The Phoenix Mercury guard has already been fined twice for criticizing officiating (once during a podcast episode and once in a TikTok video), but that hasn’t deterred her from speaking up again.
In her latest episode—recorded just a day after the Indiana Fever’s matchup with the Dallas Wings—Cunningham accused referees of favoring rookie sensation Paige Bueckers.
“I love Paige to death. She’s an incredible player, and I’d be thrilled to share the court with her one day,” Cunningham said. “But last night, it felt like she was getting every single whistle. You couldn’t even put a hand on her. That kind of inconsistency just drives me nuts—if she’s getting that treatment, then our guards should get it too.”
Cunningham went on to acknowledge Bueckers’ talent, calling her a future Hall of Famer and potential GOAT, but said the calls she received in that game were “crazy.”
The Wings narrowly edged out the Fever 81-80 in a thriller. Bueckers finished with 16 points, eight assists, and five rebounds, while Cunningham contributed 14 points, three assists, and two boards. Caitlin Clark sat out with a groin injury that also kept her out of All-Star weekend. Kelsey Mitchell led all scorers with 24 points, and Maddy Siegrest paced the Wings with 22.
Questionable officiating has been a hot topic in the WNBA for years, with stars like Diana Taurasi and even NBA great LeBron James weighing in on the broader issue. The NBA has its own examples—Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is often labeled a “free-throw merchant” due to the volume of calls in his favor.
As long as human judgment remains part of officiating, bias—intentional or not—will be an unavoidable risk in sports. Until the league steps in or technology develops to truly remove that bias, players will be left to live with it.
