The WNBA turned fines into a lucrative revenue stream. Of course that’s an exaggeration but it was a running joke because of the sheer amount of penalties. Stephanie White, Cheryl Reeve, Napheesa Collier, Caitlin Clark—you name the player or coach and there’s a high probability that they got fined. Now, Dallas Wings rookie and 2026 No. 1 pick Azzi Fudd can become the first player to be fined in preseason. 

One of the central reasons for the fines was the officiating last year. Clark commented “the refs couldn’t stop us” after that Game 2 victory against Atlanta last year. She later revealed that the WNBA fined her $200 for the instagram comment. Now, Fudd is in danger of the same, as she criticized the referees after her final preseason game against the Las Vegas Aces. “I feel more confused,” Fudd said regarding the refereeing standards of the WNBA. “I thought you could be physical in the W, and anytime you touch someone, it’s a foul. So, I’m not really sure whether to be physical or not. I’m still figuring that out.”

“Need to look up the last time someone got fined in the preseason because Azzi Fudd might now be on that list,” wrote senior USAToday Reporter Meghan Hall. 

So far, there is no player who has been fined in the preseason, at least that the public knows of. The fines from the WNBA are not publicly announced unless the player or the league voluntarily reveals them. So there could be a player who was fined in the preseason but never disclosed it. But considering how the fines were handed out last year, the fans don’t put it past Cathy Engelbert to fine Fudd for this joke. 

It instantly drew some laughs from the room, as many in the media and the players sitting with her have called out the inconsistencies in the refereeing. Fudd had 12 points, 5 assists and 2 fouls in this game, while she had 3 fouls in the first game against the Fever. The game in total had a whopping 53 fouls, as the whistle never let the players get into any flow. 

For context, the league averaged 34.6 fouls per game (cumulative) during the season last year. So, while the complaint was genuine, this comment might just put Azzi on the spot.

Fine Fears Emerge After Azzi Fudd Criticizes Referees

“As soon as I saw the video I thought “welp your first three checks are going to Cathy, girlie’ 😵‍💫😵‍💫😭,” wrote a fan. 

While there were multiple fine victims last year, Minnesota Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve took the cake. She was hit with a $15,000 fine. It was the largest reported individual fine in WNBA history—after a post-ejection outburst at referees and comments about league officiating leadership in the 2025 playoffs. So, it wouldn’t be as drastic as the “first three paychecks” since Fudd is set to earn $559,590 this year. But she could earn a slap on the wrist like Caitlin Clark did last year with a $200 fine for criticising referees on social media.

“I know she’s genuinely confused because she’s never had a fouling problem. It was one of her strong suits,😭” commented a fan. Fudd averaged just 1 foul a game in her 5 years at UConn. It is one of her strengths. Naturally with the WNBA having that physical reputation, Fudd would have expected that number to drop rather than rise. But the preseason had an opposite trend and this fan had an explanation. 

“Girl, it’s a preseason game. Why would anyone play real defense and risk injury?” wrote a fan. The WNBA already had a major injury problem last year with more than 220 players missing time. Strikingly, Caitlin Clark, the biggest draw of the league, suffered an injury in the preseason, which could have prompted stricter refereeing this year. Clark herself pointed that out.

“it’s a preseason game, so you’re probably going to see more fouls called. I would expect the number to drop; I don’t know how many fouls in total were called tonight. And at times, it can make the game choppy,” she said. “But I think overall, it’s gonna improve the product. Players aren’t getting held, and it was both ways. I thought they did a good job both ways. ” And some believe this is a permanent change in response to all stakeholders’ calls last season. And a fan criticized Fudd for this joke. 

“She thinks it was a funny comment but this is disrespectful to the players and coaches who were advocating for better reffing last season,” a fan wrote. “She hasn’t even played a real W game.”

In the statement that ignited a revolution in the WNBA, Napheesa Collier specifically talked about protecting the players. “How are you going to protect your players? How are you going to make sure that we have the best products on the floor night after night, when it’s so inconsistent and people are getting hurt left and right?” she said.

The WNBPA and the league negotiated a better CBA after that. Collier could have asked for an improvement in officiating standards as well. Azzi Fudd is entering a new era of the WNBA and she could need to adapt and forget that old reputation.