TL;DR
Sophie Cunningham said on her podcast that two plays involving Angel Reese in the WNBA semifinals were dangerous and questioned why officials did not call fouls. The plays occurred in Game 3 against the New York Liberty; neither resulted in a foul against Reese. Cunningham also praised Reese’s effort, while the league has not been reported as responding to her comments.
Sophie Cunningham criticized two plays involving Angel Reese in the WNBA semifinals, calling them dangerous and questioning why officials did not call fouls. Speaking on her podcast ahead of the Finals, Cunningham said the incidents in Atlanta’s Game 3 against the New York Liberty involved contact with Breanna Stewart and Marine Fauthoux; neither play drew a foul against Reese.
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Cunningham began by acknowledging Reese’s competitive effort and willingness to pursue the ball. “Angel is going to play hard,” she said, adding that she appreciates players who are prepared to get on the floor and make an extra effort. Her criticism was directed at the specific contact in the two plays, rather than at Reese’s general intensity.
The first incident occurred in Game 3 when Reese jumped toward Stewart after officials had already called a foul on Rhyne Howard. Stewart was knocked to the floor during the contact. In the second play, early in the fourth quarter, Reese appeared to dive toward a loose ball after officials had called a timeout and made contact with Fauthoux’s legs. Officials called no foul on Reese in either incident, according to the report.
“You can’t tackle someone in the air and then go for someone’s knees and ankles,” Cunningham said. She described both actions as potentially dangerous and asked, “And for those just to go uncalled, is that not weird? Am I missing something?” Those were Cunningham’s assessments of the plays; the report does not say that the league or officials subsequently reviewed them or issued a ruling.
Scrutiny on Semifinal Officiating
Cunningham’s comments put attention on how officials handle contact around loose balls and airborne players during high-stakes playoff games. The incidents involved players falling or contact near the legs, making the calls relevant to player safety as well as the consistency of foul decisions. The available account confirms that no fouls were called on Reese; it does not establish that the officials’ decisions were formally judged incorrect.
The broader concern is not limited to these plays. The report says WNBA players and coaches, including Caitlin Clark and Becky Hammon, have also spoken publicly about officiating. Cunningham’s remarks add another public criticism as the league’s postseason reaches its final series, but they do not by themselves establish a league-wide change or a specific officiating problem.
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Two Plays in Atlanta’s Game 3
The moments Cunningham discussed took place in the semifinals between the Atlanta Dream and New York Liberty. In the first, the foul call had already been made on Atlanta’s Rhyne Howard when Reese made contact with Stewart. In the later incident, officials had called a timeout before Reese appeared to pursue the loose ball and contact Fauthoux’s legs. The timing and sequence matter: the report describes both as uncalled contact on Reese, not as official findings of intentional or dirty play.
Reese has faced criticism over her physical style before. The report cites a March 2024 ESPN account in which an anonymous WNBA general manager described some of her actions as “disrespectful” to the game and said dirty play hurt her. That was an anonymous executive’s opinion, not a league determination. Cunningham, by contrast, explicitly credited Reese’s effort before criticizing the two specific plays.
The comments came as Atlanta prepared for Game 1 of the Finals against the Golden State Valkyries at Chase Center. The report listed tipoff for Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET and described the series as Reese’s first Finals appearance.
““Angel is going to play hard.””
— Sophie Cunningham
No League Review Reported
The report does not say whether the WNBA reviewed either play, whether officials offered an explanation for the no-calls, or whether Cunningham’s comments prompted a response from Reese, the league, or the officiating crew. It also provides no formal assessment of whether either incident met the rules’ threshold for a foul or disciplinary action. “Dangerous” is Cunningham’s description, not a finding attributed to the league.
The source gives the scheduled Finals tipoff but does not specify the podcast episode’s release date or report what happened in Game 1. No conclusion about a pattern of officiating can be drawn from the two plays alone.
Finals Begin at Chase Center
Atlanta was scheduled to open the WNBA Finals against Golden State at Chase Center on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET, according to the report. Reese was preparing for her first Finals appearance. The next relevant developments are the game itself and any subsequent comment or review from the league concerning the two semifinal incidents; neither is confirmed in the source material.
Key Questions
What did Sophie Cunningham say about Angel Reese?
Cunningham said two plays involving Reese in the semifinals were dangerous and questioned why officials did not call fouls. She also praised Reese for playing hard and pursuing the ball.
Which plays was Cunningham discussing?
One involved contact between Reese and Breanna Stewart after a foul had been called on Rhyne Howard. The other occurred when Reese appeared to dive toward a loose ball after a timeout and made contact with Marine Fauthoux’s legs.
Were fouls called on Reese in those incidents?
No foul was called against Reese on either play, according to the report. It does not provide a later official review or ruling.
Did the WNBA respond to Cunningham’s comments?
The source material does not report a response from the league, the officials, or Reese.
When was Atlanta’s Finals opener scheduled?
The report listed Game 1 against the Golden State Valkyries for Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET at Chase Center. It does not give a calendar date.
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