The WNBA regular season hasn\u2019t even started yet, but Dallas Wings rookie Azzi Fudd isn\u2019t mincing words about the officiating.<\/p>\n
In a press conference<\/a> after the Wings\u2019 preseason win<\/a> over the Las Vegas Aces on Sunday, Fudd was asked about how she\u2019s adjusting to the WNBA. In response, the rookie guard called out WNBA officiating, sarcastically saying that she was \u201cconfused\u201d about some of the soft fouls called.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n \u201cHonestly I feel more confused. Like I thought you could be physical in the W and anytime you touch someone it\u2019s a foul, so I\u2019m not really sure whether to be physical, whether to like, I don\u2019t know. So I\u2019m still figuring that out,\u201d Fudd said.<\/p>\n Fudd was called for two personal fouls during the matchup, which took place in Austin, at University of Texas\u2019 Moody Center. But it\u2019s likely that the rookie\u2019s frustration stemmed from the second of the two: Early in the third quarter, Fudd hopped out<\/a> of the path of a surging A\u2019ja Wilson, but was called for the foul anyway.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n As a frustrated Fudd began speaking on the issue after the game, the rookie\u2019s teammates Aziaha James and Jessica Shepard kept laughing \u2014 in part because they were worried that the guard would be punished before her rookie year even started.<\/p>\n \u201cYeah you\u2019re still figuring that out,\u201d Shepard said, laughing. \u201c\u2018Cause you may get hit with a fine.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ll see,\u201d James added.<\/p>\n \u201cJust cut that,\u201d Shepard joked, referring to the press conference feed.<\/p>\n Despite Shepard and James\u2019 concerns, Fudd is not set to get fined by the WNBA, per Front Office Sports<\/a>.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n Officiating in the WNBA has been a talking point for years<\/a>, with the league often retaliating with fines against players who complain about the refs.<\/p>\n Things hit a breaking point last fall after Minnesota Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve used a playoff press conference to unload on the referees<\/a>. Reeve was quickly backed by Las Vegas Aces head coach Becky Hammon and Indiana Fever coach Stephanie White; all three were later fined<\/a> by the league, with Reeve\u2019s fine reportedly a league-record $15,000.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n Soon afterwards, Lynx star Napheesa Collier went scorched earth<\/a> on WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert in her postseason press conference. Among the topics she brought up was the officiating, calling the league\u2019s inconsistent referees \u201cself-sabotage.\u201d<\/p>\n