Sophie Cunningham criticizes WNBA for not calling technical foul on Angel Reese

Indiana Fever star Sophie Cunningham called it "absolutely insane" that Atlanta Dream forward Angel Reese avoided a technical foul and the associated $500 fine during the team's Game 3 victory over the New York Liberty. The incident occurred on October 9, when Reese followed Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu down the court after an illegal screen, shouting at the four-time WNBA All-Star without a whistle being blown.

Cunningham detailed her frustration on her "No Hesitation" podcast, arguing that chasing an opponent down the court to confront them warrants a technical foul in any situation. She noted that such behavior would result in a call during the regular season, making the playoff omission particularly baffling to her.

The oversight created a significant inconsistency in the game's officiating. Minutes after the uncalled confrontation with Ionescu, Reese was assessed a technical foul for standing chest-to-chest with Jonquel Jones. Had Reese received the initial technical, she would have accumulated two in the same game, resulting in an ejection that could have shifted momentum in favor of the Liberty.

ESPN WNBA analyst Rebecca Lobo also stated on the broadcast that Reese should have been assessed a technical for the incident with Ionescu. While Cunningham acknowledged she respects Reese for supporting her teammate, she characterized the discrepancy between the two calls as "weird and inconsistent."

The ruling has implications for the upcoming WNBA Finals, which begin Saturday afternoon between the Golden State Valkyries and the Atlanta Dream. Reese enters the series with two technical fouls already recorded. Under league rules, accumulating two more technicals within the span of the seven-game series would trigger a one-game suspension.

Cunningham also dismissed the technical foul that was actually called on Reese, labeling it "good playoff basketball," but maintained that the failure to call the first incident was unjustified. The exchange highlights ongoing debates about officiating standards in the league, with players like Caitlin Clark previously calling for full-time referees as inconsistencies mount.