Sophie Cunningham Laments Latest WNBA Fine For TikTok Video About Referees

Indiana Fever forward Sophie Cunningham has been in the hot water with WNBA referees of late.

Sophie Cunningham Laments Latest WNBA Fine For TikTok Video About Referees

Sophie Cunningham (Image via Instagram)

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It’s safe to say that the Indiana Fever players and fans are completely fed up with the refereeing. There is a very good reason for this. Superstar Caitlin Clark has been officiated by a completely different standard to the rest of the WNBA. Their other players like Aliyah Boston, Kelsey Mitchell, Lexie Hull and Sophie Cunningham have also been on the short end of the stick from the referees and the league office.

Aliyah Boston got elbowed in the face by Tina Charles in the Fever’s latest matchup against the Connecticut Sun, but Charles was not even called for a foul. Caitlin Clark is pressed and face guarded for 94 feet as defenders plow into her body the whole time with no foul calls. Clark has had a number of games without shooting a single free throw, despite being guarded with more physicality than any other player in the WNBA.

Clark has needed an enforcer of sorts after getting beaten up and even thrown to the ground by her opponents. Cunningham, who is a no-nonsense player and always has been, has stepped up to this role. The former Phoenix Mercury forward has had a big role to play in keeping the Fever afloat this year off the bench. She has a reliable 3-point shot and is game to take on the toughest defensive assignment on the floor.

She also gained a big following after standing up to the Connecticut Sun in the same game that Clark was pushed to the floor by Tina Charles. She put Sun guard Jacy Sheldon in a headlock after making a flagrant foul on the Notre Dame product on a fast break opportunity even as the Sun players converged on her. This caused her popularity and her stock to rise significantly, both with Fever fans and with casuals.

Cunningham has also been outspoken in her criticism of the WNBA referees. She took to TikTok to post a video mocking the officials, with her dance and lipsyncing over the Tate McRae song Stupid. This caught the eye of the WNBA league office, who fined her $500 for dissenting against officials. Sophie Cunningham was in consternation over this, posting a tweet denouncing the decision:

I got fined $500 for this TikTok idk why this is funny to me… like ok you got it bud! Cause there’s not more important things to be worried about with our league right now

Sophie Cunningham has gained a huge following after standing up for Caitlin Clark

Sophie Cunningham’s hard foul on Jacy Sheldon earned her a Flagrant-2 foul and an ejection. It also ignited her popularity as Caitlin Clark’s first real enforcer in the WNBA. Fans, upset over the WNBA’s failure to protect Clark, embraced her, driving jersey sales and pushing her TikTok following past 800,000 from the initial figure of around 400,000 before this incident.

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Sophie Cunningham

A Ring brand deal leveraged her protector image, blending grit with marketability. Critics, via a 193-signature petition, called her foul, dirty, and unsportsmanlike. Her black belt and farm-raised roots amplify her outspoken persona, resonating with fans who see her as Clark’s shield.

Her unapologetic stance and charisma continue to fuel her rising influence, making her a lightning rod for both admiration and criticism in the WNBA. This is the exact energy that many people in the Caitlin Clark camp have been looking for from her teammates.

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