Candace Parker and Aliyah Boston revisited the viral Sophie Cunningham pointing meme on Wednesday’s episode of their Post Moves podcast. And beyond the pointing itself, the two appeared to have spotted something else about the moment that had gone largely unnoticed, and it is equally hilarious.

As Parker pointed out, the security staff member on the court who was attempting to de-escalate the situation appeared to be fighting a losing battle, not against the tension between the players, but against the sheer absurdity of what Sophie Cunningham was doing. 

“And the security can barely keep it together. He’s looking and laughing,” Parker said.

The moment came on June 22 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, during Indiana’s 86-77 win over Phoenix. It started when Caitlin Clark and DeWanna Bonner tangled up and exchanged words, drawing a technical foul on Clark. Cunningham stepped in, and when Bonner turned her attention and pointed back at her, Cunningham held her finger up in response and simply refused to stop for roughly 22 seconds until a Fever staff member steered her away. Both players were hit with technicals.

Aliyah Boston, who was sitting on the bench during the incident, revealed that she had the same reaction in real time. Despite the underlying tension of the moment, she found Sophie Cunningham‘s extended pointing gesture genuinely funny, and could not quite believe it ultimately resulted in a technical foul. 

“So, we’re sitting on the bench. I’m on the bench and all you’re doing is seeing Sophie just go like this and I’m literally laughing. I’m like, there’s no way we’re getting techs for pointing,” she said.

Receiving a technical foul for pointing might sound flimsy at first glance, as Boston’s reaction suggested. But in the specific manner Cunningham did it (locking eyes and holding her finger up for an extended, deliberate stretch), the call falls within how the WNBA treats taunting.

Under Rule No. 12A, Section V (“Conduct”), the league specifies that a technical foul shall be assessed for a set of unsportsmanlike tactics — among them disrespecting an official, using profanity, throwing an elbow with no contact, and taunting. 

That said, Parker also called out WNBA players for their assessment of Caitlin Clark. 

Candace Parker believes insecurity influenced the voting

Clark ended up 11th among guards in the player voting, and that surprised a lot of people. Candace Parker didn’t get it either.

“It’s also kinda crazy,” she said on Post Moves. “I wholeheartedly believe that there need to be some rules with the WNBA players, because this is getting out of hand. Caitlin Clark being voted 11th-best guard by WNBA players, that’s crazy.”

Boston agreed, saying she found the result just as surprising. And Parker kept going from there: “I think people need to look at themselves in the mirror and realize you’ve got some insecurities if you’re sitting down and putting Caitlin Clark as the 11th-best guard.”