The June 22 matchup between the Indiana Fever and the Phoenix Mercury produced a highlight that has since become one of the most-shared memes worldwide. It involves Sophie Cunningham pointing her finger towards DeWanna Bonner for a few seconds, a pose that has since become a debate about copyright and licensing in the WNBA. Now, the WNBPA is prohibiting partner brands from using the image of Cunningham’s pointing in their products, according to reporter Darren Rovell.
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“The WNBA Players Association is currently prohibiting licensees from using the Sophie point, saying that it is “derogatory,”” Rovell revealed by commenting on Scott Agness’ post where young fans wanted to pose the pointer for photographs with Cunningham.
It’s understandable why companies would want to use this particular meme. It has been used in various contexts by fans and Cunningham, and even the White House’s social media account, and has been the go-to gesture for anybody who wants to emphasize a point in recent weeks. The meme has been doing the rounds on the internet for the last month, indicating that it can offer long-term marketing and traction to its user, personal or corporate.
However, the WNBPA views the meme as something “derogatory,” considering that it originated from a confrontation between players during a match.
“For licensed apparel, we generally do not feature or look to monetize player conduct from a confrontation between our members,” a spokesperson told Front Office Sports.
However, even if the league is less inclined to allow the meme’s use, Cunningham remains free to use it and even license it. Something that she has indicated herself.
Under the Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) rules, the WNBPA has explicitly stated that “players are of course free to create and/or license their own product”. And Cunningham is actively pursuing individual sponsorship deals in this regard.
Whatever the commercial outcome might be for Cunningham, there is no denying the fact that the meme has helped her with a popularity surge in recent weeks.
Her social media following has surged in the last few weeks, and she now has over 2.6 million followers on Instagram. Adidas has also announced her first personal sneaker line, the “Adidas Crazy Energy Sophie Cunningham PE,” set to launch on July 24, 2026. It is expected to be priced at $120.
So while Cunningham remains a key rotational piece for the Indiana team, this meme has certainly helped in building her off-court profile, and she has cemented herself as a fan favorite due to her persona.
It remains to be seen where and how the meme will be used by Cunningham in the future. For now, the fans can’t stop sharing it.