The WNBA on Sunday rescinded a technical foul given to Dallas Wings star Paige Bueckers two nights earlier.
Bueckers was driving toward the basket in the third quarter and drew a foul from Indya Nivar. Bueckers clapped three times after the whistle and was given the tech.
“I was hyped and showing passion and joy and I got penalized for that,” the second-year guard told reporters Saturday.
The WNBA’s decision saves Bueckers a $500 fine. It also keeps her in the running to win a “bet” Bueckers made with teammate Alysha Clark that Bueckers wouldn’t draw a tech during the season. Clark, however, claimed she helped Bueckers get the call reversed.
“I gave her a little something to send in with it,” Clark said. “I just felt it wasn’t warranted. If I’m going to win money out of her I want it to be legit. I want to be able to sleep at night. I don’t want that it’s not deserving to get her money.”
Despite not agreeing with the call, Bueckers acknowledged the league’s officials have a “really extremely hard job” and want to control the game more than last season.
However, she believes players should be allowed to be emotional on the court.
“See that we were down a ton and we’re making a run, so we’re obviously going to be hyped up and showing a bunch of passion and joy and fire, like, that’s what basketball’s all about,” Bueckers said.
Bueckers scored 24 points Sunday in a 91-76 win over the New York Liberty that lifted the Wings’ record to 4-3.
–Field Level Media
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