The WNBA is reportedly walking back a technical foul called on Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers for emphatically clapping, per multiple media reports.
Bueckers’ punishment came after an enthusiastic response to a foul call in the third quarter of Dallas’ 86-69 loss to the Atlanta Dream on Friday. That tech will reportedly be rescinded.
With less than two minutes left in the quarter, Bueckers drove toward the basket and was fouled by Atlanta’s Indya Nivar. After the referee’s whistle blew, Bueckers clapped three times in response. Bueckers was then assessed a tech, and looked bewildered in response, seemingly asking the referee, “Are you serious?”
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At the time of the foul, it was a one-score game. Atlanta went on to pull away in the fourth quarter.
Though the league has yet to officially announce that the tech has been rescinded, Bueckers addressed it ahead of the Wings’ game against the New York Liberty on Sunday, via the New York Post’s Madeline Kenney, and seemingly confirmed that the tech had been taken back.
Bueckers told reporters that she was relieved to have the foul rescinded — though not for the reason you might think. Apparently she and Wings teammate Alysha Clark have a bet that Bueckers would make it through the season without getting a technical foul.
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Bueckers joked that her pride is “on the line,” though Clark said she had helped Bueckers appeal the league to get the tech rescinded.
“I just felt it wasn’t warranted,” Clark said of the tech, via Kenney. “If I’m gonna win money out of her, I want it to be legit.”
Bueckers will now head into Sunday’s game against the Liberty with her tech counter back to zero and the money safely in her pocket — for now.
