Caitlin Clark Is All of Us Seeing Sophie Cunningham’s Viral Intro Dance in Dallas

How do you keep the spirit of the game alive when your star player is out and the energy’s feeling low? Easy—just ask Sophie Cunningham. The Fever were in Dallas where the game night vibes were on with 18,000 fans in the stands. But Caitlin Clark being sidelined again with that nagging right groin injury, fear and dejection sat in the back of everyone’s mind. But don’t worry.  Sophie swooped in doing what she does best—she stepped up, not just with her game, but with her whole vibe.

Caitlin Clark’s been out for more than half the season, but guess what? The Indiana Fever aren’t slowing down one bit. On Friday night in Dallas, they rolled past the Wings 88-78, notching their fourth straight win—their longest streak of the season so far. It was a full team effort, with four of the five starters dropping double digits. And here’s the wild part: The Fever are now 16-12 overall… and 8-7 without Clark. So yes, they’re figuring things out just fine. And that calls for some celebrations. Or even better, goofiness the Indiana Fever way.

In a viral video doing the rounds on X, Sophie Cunningham gave us all the energy we didn’t know we needed. She was out there on the court, full-on hopping around doing the hook step from “Cotton Eyed Joe”. She greeted every teammate with a bounce in her step, and when she got to Clark, she couldn’t hold it in—she cracked up loud.

Sophie Cunningham and Caitlin Clark clearly have each other’s backs—and Sophie’s not shy about saying it. On her new podcast Show Me Something, she went off on the critics who question Clark’s role as the face of the WNBA, saying it “literally pisses me off” when people downplay her impact. Sophie didn’t just call it out online—she’s defended Clark on the court too, especially during that heated moment with Jacy Sheldon and Marina Mabrey earlier this season.

“I want her to go do her thing, and anything she needs from me, I am gonna be here,” she had declared even before suiting up for the Fever. Now we know she wasn’t just saying it for the sake of it. Being an enforcer or getting out the laughs in difficult times, Clark really has a true teammate in Cunningham.

The reigning ROTY, who’s only played 13 games this year due to injuries, still remains uncertain about her timeline. The Fever are only waiting on her to get back to rhythm before she gets back on court, avoiding any re-aggravations. Until then, the rest of the roster is seamlessly carrying on ahead, be it in terms of results or the viewership. Yes, 1.5 million when playing the Sky.

Speaking of views, someone else has been quietly racking up numbers of her own.

Sophie Cunningham is the WNBA’s viral queen

She was already a full-blown TikTok sensation before the league ever reached for their wallet. Sophie Cunningham wasn’t just racking up points on the court—she was racking up views, likes, and followers like wildfire. After her headline-making hard foul on Jacy Sheldon—a move many saw as defending Caitlin Clark—Sophie’s follower count exploded. “I went from 200,000 on TikTok before the fight, and then I had like 350,000 on Instagram. Over the night, over a million on both. Insane,” she said.

Her rep called the growth “unprecedented,” and it hasn’t slowed down since. From jersey sales flying off shelves to her name entering the Top 10 most followed WNBA players, Sophie went from respected vet to viral star almost overnight. And then came the fine.

In late July, Sophie posted a TikTok video clearly directed at WNBA referees—lip-syncing to Sabrina Carpenter’s “Manchild” with the lyrics, “Stupid. Or is it… slow? Maybe it’s… useless?” with the caption “@ some refs.” The league wasn’t amused and slapped her with a $500 fine. But Sophie? She laughed it off. “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,” she posted, emojis and all. Instead of backing down, she leaned in—and her following only kept growing.

Now sitting at 1.6 million TikTok followers and 1.2 million on Instagram, Sophie’s social media game is unstoppable. She’s dropped dance videos, clapped back at critics, and even posted a cheeky no-pants TikTok after a Fever win with the caption “Depends what team you’re on.” Whether she’s going viral for a fiery foul or mouthing off in her hotel room, Sophie Cunningham has officially become the WNBA’s queen of TikTok—and she’s owning every second of it.