“Had to learn how to defend while fouling”: Ryan Ruocco revealed Paige Bueckers’ shocking statement to call out WNBA’s officiating

2025 Rookie of the Year Paige Bueckers’ comments are going viral on social media amid the discourse surrounding the WNBA’s officiating. The league and commissioner Cathy Engelbert have faced much criticism throughout the 2025 season from fans and players who aren’t satisfied with the consistency and quality of the league's officiating.

The debate has intensified since Napheesa Collier’s exit interview on Tuesday. On Wednesday, Ryan Ruocco also provided his thoughts, discussing Paige Bueckers’ words from July, calling them the most “crystallizing” thing about officiating in the WNBA.

“Before a game in Indiana, she said, ‘I’ve had to learn how to defend while fouling again. In college, there was such a focus for me to defend while not fouling. And here I’ve realized I can get away with this,’” Ruocco said.

Ruocco continued, expressing a wish to see public acknowledgment from the league in response to the many concerns surrounding the WNBA's officiating.

“There probably should be some level of public acknowledgement from the league level, whether it’s from as high as the commissioner’s office, or whether it’s from our officiating body,” he said.

Paige Bueckers shows support for Napheesa Collier after Lynx guard’s statement criticizing Cathy Engelbert

While taking a stand against the league’s leadership on Tuesday, Napheesa Collier shared an excerpt from her conversation with Cathy Engelbert. Collier had asked the commissioner how she planned on fairly compensating players like Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese and Paige Bueckers, who have been driving engagement for the league.

Shortly after Collier’s press conference, Bueckers shared a picture on social media, showing her support for the Lynx star:

“Queen Phee 👑.”

Bueckers played 36 games for the Dallas Wings in her rookie season, averaging 19.2 points, 3.9 rebounds and 5.4 assists per game. In one season, she has established herself as one of the league’s brightest stars next to Reese and Caitlin Clark.

However, her stellar play is yet to translate to success for the Wings, who posted the worst record in the league (10-34). Dallas will be looking to surround Bueckers with more talent this offseason as it heads to the draft lottery after enduring a difficult run under coach Chris Koclanes.

About the author

Sameer is an esports and gaming journalist at Sportskeeda who covers a diverse range of topics. He is currently pursuing a BSc degree from BITS, but his love for video games pushed him to pursue a gaming journalism career. He relies on diligent research and fact-checking to deliver top-notch content. He has previously worked in the hospitality sector with the Oberoi Group.

Sameer’s gaming journey began with Rockstar Games’ GTA franchise, specifically
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories. He strongly prefers multiplayer games, with FPS being his favorite genre, and has devoted 6K+ hours to CS:GO! However, he also dabbles in open-world, story-based games from time to time. Solo RPGs like Horizon Forbidden West hold a soft spot in his heart, and he would readily drop in it given a Jumanji-type scenario.

Sameer makes sure to follow Counter-Strike and Valorant esports tournaments, as he believes that watching a game being played at the highest level can be highly educational. He derives inspiration from Tarik's meteoric rise to become one of the biggest FPS streamers in the world following the release of Valorant.

Outside of work, you can find Sameer playing football or cheering for FC Barcelona. He also likes to read and write poetry.

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Edited by Sameer Khan