Sophie Cunningham criticizes officials over calls made against Paige Bueckers.

WNBA Rookie Page Bueckers Draws Attention from Sophie Cunningham

Sophie Cunningham is spotlighting early trends surrounding rookie standout Page Bueckers, making her mark in the WNBA.

After the Indiana Fever’s close loss to the Dallas Wings on Tuesday, Cunningham discussed Bueckers’ performance on the “Show Me Something” podcast. The 2025 No. 1 pick tallied 16 points, and Cunningham commented on what she saw as favorable officiating for the rookie.

“I really like Page,” Cunningham mentioned. “She’s a great player, and we’ll probably hang out eventually. But the way the refs treated her last night was… interesting. You could barely touch her.”

She continued, “We all know she’s a talented rookie, and, sure, she’s going to get some calls. But honestly, the treatment she received was a bit much. She’s on track to be one of the greats. And she knows it.”

Cunningham reflected further on the officiating, adding that it can be incredibly frustrating. “I’d be okay with some calls if it was more balanced across the board,” she said. “I don’t like those inconsistencies.”

Bueckers only shot free throws twice during the game but made all four attempts. Despite scoring, she made six field goals out of 19 attempts, which is an indicator that the backcourt was intense.

Both Cunningham and her teammate Lexie Hull each ended up with four fouls.

In her first season, Bueckers averages 4.2 free throw attempts per game over 26 games and has managed to hit eight in a single game twice—once against the Fever.

Cunningham, known for her candid remarks, has previously faced league penalties for her comments on officiating. Just recently, she was fined $1,500 for criticizing the referees during a podcast episode.