“She’s a dawg,” was how head coach of the Indiana Fever, Stephanie White, described Sophie Cunningham earlier this year. Making headlines for her customised “Tres-Leches” shirt and known for her exceptionally fashionable fits, Cunningham is also notorious for her dominant playmaking style. While a treat to watch on the floor, she is a formidable force on the hardwood. This was affirmed when the team went into a highly physical game against the Connecticut Sun earlier this year.

Sun player Olivia Nelson-Ododa elbowed Sophie Cunningham and sent her to the floor in the last game. While it looked like a well-planned technique to rattle the guard, she immediately got up and motioned to the referees, who denied any involvement in foul play. The officials completely overlooked the incident, and the game continued. But this was nothing compared to everything that went down during the June 17 game.

While the Jacy Sheldon–Caitlin Clark incident grabbed eyeballs and set tongues rolling against the officiating, Cunningham showcased loyalty to her teammate by pinning the Sun player down in the last quarter. And the result of her loyalty? A $900 fine as punishment and last-moment eviction from the hardwood. And the Indiana Fever gained a win, but at what cost?

After all, the league had to intervene in the matter and imposed fines to ensure no team repeats the incident. While Clark was grateful for Sophie’s act, the incident became a huge turning point for the athlete. She became an overnight social media sensation, gaining over 350k followers in a single day. But this didn’t stop the rebel from exposing the inefficiencies of the refs.

Sharing her views on the latest episode of the Show Me Something podcast with West Wilson, Cunningham was quick to call out Commissioner Cathy Engelbert & Co. Cunningham indirectly addressed Cathy with a strong 10-word message during the podcast. “I think that’s players across the league and like new fans across our country. Like everyone, “What is going on with refs?” And I’m like, “I don’t know. You fining me $500 is not going to do sh-,” she said.

Calling out the inconsistent calls by the officials this season, Cunningham confessed that she is probably the only player to voice what the entire league has been thinking publicly. As an integral identity of the WNBA now, the inconsistencies have bothered every team by now. Moreover, the $900 fine opened doors for more penalties for the Fever athlete.

After all, she was fined $500 after a TikTok video went viral on social media. Directly addressed to the referees, the clip featured Sophie lip-synching to singer Sabrina Carpenter’s latest single, Manchild. She recorded the clip with the words, “Stupid. Or is it… slow? Maybe it’s … useless?” against the officials. While this led to a hefty fine, Cunningham laughed it off with a public statement on X.

Sharing the video on X (former Twitter), Cunningham wrote, “I got fined $500 for this TikTok. I don’t know why this is funny to me… like, okay, you got it, bud! Cause there are no more important things to be worried about with our league right now.” Though officiating issues continue to plague the league, Cunningham highlighted the issue on the podcast and said that the fine is not going to resolve the matter.

Moreover, Commissioner Cathy Engelbert also shared her thoughts on the persisting problem ahead of the 2025 All-Star games. “We hear the concerns. We take that input. Every play is reviewed. Spend hours and hours and hours,” Cathy explained. “Consistency is important, I think. I think some people observe our game versus other basketball formats, and there aren’t a ton of fouls called. I realize consistency is the name of the game. … There’s an independent evaluation of our officials. There are ramifications. So, it’s something we need to continue to work on.”

While Cathy & Co. try to work upon the inconsistencies and bad calls, it is players like Sophie Cunningham who keep getting punished for exposing the loopholes. While fans are also aware of the issue, certain players and teams exploit their physicality and the officials’ no-calls to their advantage.

Sophie Cunningham praises teammate’s efforts.

The Indiana Fever player, Sophie Cunningham, praised teammate Caitlin Clark’s efforts in establishing the Indiana Fever as one of the most threatening teams today. While fans and reporters are aware of the phenom’s remarkable impact, the Caitlin Clark Effect, on the league as a whole, Cunningham came forward to protect her from the haters who pinpoint the team’s condition without Clark.

“Well, Caitlin Clark plays for the Indiana Fever,” Sophie started. “Which I don’t know if a lot of people would consider Indiana to be the biggest, but I mean it is now. It is, wouldn’t you say?” She strongly asserted that while Clark has been sidelined owing to health-related issues, the guard is still associated with the Fever team. And has contributed mainly to the team’s success. “It is, because of her literally,” Cunningham asserted.

Needless to say, Clark not only exceeded expectations in the pros. Instead, she shattered them. As a trailblazer, Clark revolutionized the league. Her impact on the Indiana Fever increased the franchise’s valuation to a whopping $350 million. And she was the biggest reason behind Indianapolis hosting the prestigious All-Star event this season.

As the Indiana Fever breezes through the regular games with a three-game winning streak, can Sophie Cunningham team up with Kelsey Mitchel and others to continue the streak? While Caitlin Clark’s absence has left a deep scar in the locker room, the Fever have overcome their defensive shortcomings as they strive to stay afloat with each passing game.