The 2026 WNBA Playoffs have been a fun ride so far, with no shortage of drama. As you'd expect with any high-level playoff matchup, we've seen tempers flare, hard fouls and plenty of moments that left fans questioning the decisions of officials. All of that is, in part, what makes playoff basketball so great. However, the series between the Atlanta Dream and New York Liberty included some tense, somewhat strange moments along the way.
While the Dream went on to sweep the Liberty in three games, multiple situations involving the officials have become hot-button topics. This includes Breanna Stewart saying she was told the Liberty didn't have a reset timeout when they did, the refs (sort of) disputing that, and a few questionable technical and non-technical
foul decisions.
Sophie Cunningham discusses decisions on Angel Reese's non-tech and technical fouls
During the latest episode of the No Hesitation Show with Sophie Cunningham and Drew Hanlen, one topic that came up was Angel Reese during the Liberty series. Cunningham specifically called out one "absolutely insane" non-technical foul, along with another double tech, which left her more than surprised. Regarding the non-tech, Cunningham referenced the moment Reese ran down the floor to get in Sabrina Ionescu's ear.
"Angel, I appreciate her having her teammates back. That just shows that she cares and that she loves her teammates," Cunningham said. "Here's my thing: if you're going to chase someone down the court and get in someone's ear, that should be a tech. Anytime, that should be a tech. It's going to be a tech in the regular season. Now, if she were to stay on her side and just kind of yell and say something, I'm all for that, you know what I mean? But the fact that she didn't get a tech on that, I think that's absolutely insane."
However, Cunningham also defended another moment involving Reese and Jonquel Jones when both players were assessed technicals. In that situation, she explained why neither player should have been given a tech.
"With the JJ [play], when she drove and got blocked, I wish that they wouldn't have gave either of them a tech," Cunningham said. "I think that's good playoff basketball, like let them talk a little [expletive] to each other. And then like their teams separate. Like I think that's fine.
So it's just so weird and inconsistent; of course, this is where I go back to, of how the refs call it. Like, if you're going to not call someone chasing someone down on the court and talking [expletive] to them, then if someone gets a block and they just go like this and Angel sticks her ground too, don't call a tech. Let them play good, hard basketball."
“Angel I appreciate her having her teammates back … Angel is going to play hard. But you can’t tackle someone in the air and go for someones knees and ankles.” -- Sophie talks about Angel Reese's play pic.twitter.com/csdVYt8iG3
— No Hesitation Show (@NoHesiShow) October 15, 2026
Although Cunningham kept praising Reese for playing hard, she mentioned two other questionable moments involving the Dream star. She pointed to the moments, saying, "You can't tackle someone in the air and then go for someone's knees and ankles." Cunningham added that letting those two moments go uncalled was a "weird" decision by the officials.
There's no denying that the previous round's matchup between the Dream and Liberty had a few moments that led to surprising decisions by the refs. It'll be worth watching how things play out in the WNBA Finals matchup between the Dream and Golden State Valkyries. Game 1 tips off on Saturday, October 17 at 3:30 p.m., with Golden State earning home-court advantage for the best-of-seven series.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: Sophie Cunningham calls out refs for 'insane' decision on tense Angel Reese playoff moment
