Sophie Cunningham didn’t sugarcoat anything on the first episode of her new podcast. The Indiana Fever guard openly spoke about what fans have long suspected: Caitlin Clark is getting rougher treatment than most. Her public comments about Clark’s treatment gained more traction after a sideline clip emerged days later, showing what appeared to be a private exchange on the same theme.

When All-Star votes rolled in, Clark led the fan ballot and earned solid media backing—but her standing in the players’ vote told a different story. She finished ninth among guards, landing behind veterans like Allisha Gray, Natasha Cloud, and her own teammate Kelsey Mitchell. Even rookie Paige Bueckers outscored her with a better weighted score: 3.25 to Clark’s 3.5. The numbers reinforced what many already sensed: that Clark’s rise hasn’t exactly been welcomed by everyone inside the league.

But Indiana Fever teammate Sophie Cunningham has always been more than just a vocal supporter. On the premiere of her new podcast Show Me Something, Cunningham played the part of a whistleblower revealing that back when she wasn’t on Clark’s team, Phoenix players openly discussed “showing her what the W really is.” Now, as a teammate watching it firsthand, Cunningham said the treatment isn’t just rookie hazing. “Every rookie coming into the league, that’s how you’re going to treat them. But there’s just more for her. It’s her second year. Now, being on her team and seeing it, what are people doing? It’s just too much.” Even ESPN seemed to echo those concerns, with one on-air reporter noting:

“I think Caitlin has a little bit of a target on her back… some of that is exactly what Sophie said.” And on the court, the tension has sometimes boiled over. Earlier this season, when Jacy Sheldon poked Clark in the eye during a Fever-Sun matchup, Cunningham physically intervened, grabbing Sheldon mid-layup, sparking a melee that spilled into the baseline. The league later upgraded Sheldon’s foul, but for many fans, the damage and the pattern of it were already clear.

So when a clip surfaced from the Fever-Wings game showing Cunningham whispering something into Clark’s ear—half-covered by a towel—and Clark responding with a tight-lipped smile and raised brows, it didn’t take long for the internet to light up. Clark’s words, interpreted as: “Yep, I know. She hates me,”  and then some ways, more reignited the targeting conversation.

Fever Sideline Clip Ignites Fan Fury

From Caitlin Clark’s expression alone, fans could tell the moment landed. “You can tell it bothered her because she looks sad for a sec,” one person commented. The fan army quickly mobilized. One wrote: “CC is the reason the women’s league has any relevance. Yet the controllers treat her like trash. They’ll pay dearly.” Speculation about who the “she” might be didn’t take long.

 One fan went full detective: “I’ll put money on it, this is about DC 😂 100%.” Another added: “DiJon Mustard was mean-muggin’ Clark after a turnover… no problem. Fever got the win so it doesn’t get any better than that.” The tension between DiJonai Carrington and Clark dates back to last year’s playoff opener, when Carrington jabbed Clark in the eye, a foul later upgraded to flagrant. Carrington denied doing it intentionally or laughing with then-teammate Marina Mabrey, but fans haven’t forgotten. A few floated other theories: 

“She’s talking about Paige! CC goes ‘I know she hates me’ lol.” But Clark and Bueckers have always kept things respectful, and Bueckers has even defended her publicly. Sophie Cunningham wasn’t spared either: “They called that a shot clock violation on Sophie. The league hates her,” one fan wrote. Another chimed in: “Probably about how selfish her teammates are that won’t pass her the damn ball.” Despite her effort and presence, Cunningham’s numbers, 7.7 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 0.8 AST, 1.0 STL, remain modest, and fans are eager to see more of her alongside Clark.