"I’m going to protect my teammates" - Sophie Cunningham calls out WNBA referees for not shielding Caitlin Clark from rough plays

Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham called out WNBA referees when asked about an incident during Indiana’s game against the Connecticut Sun on Tuesday.

During the final minute of the Fever’s 88-71 win, Cunningham grabbed Sun guard Jacy Sheldon by the neck and threw her down. The play sparked a mini-brawl, resulting in both players being ejected. The WNBA later fined Cunningham $400 for the incident.

Cunningham spoke with the media Saturday and addressed what happened during the game.

"I'm not focused on the extracurricular activities," Cunningham said. "And you know what, during that, it was just part of the game. "I think the refs had a lot to do with that. It was a build-up for a couple years now of them just not, not protecting the star player in the WNBA.

"And so, at the end of the day, I’m going to protect my teammates, that’s what I do. And I'm a team player so, it's all good."

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Sophie Cunningham’s hard foul on Sheldon was presumed to be retaliation for Sun star Marina Mabrey pushing Caitlin Clark to the ground during the third quarter. Mabrey shoved Clark after Clark had a brief exchange with Sheldon, following an apparent poke to Clark’s eye by the Sun guard.

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Sophie Cunningham finished the game with five points and seven rebounds in 22 minutes. Clark led Indiana with 20 points and six assists on 6-of-12 shooting, including 4-of-6 from 3-point range.

Sophie Cunningham posts TikTok video after viral altercation

Before the Indiana Fever's 88-77 loss to the Golden State Valkyries on Friday, Cunningham shared a TikTok post lip-syncing to Selena Gomez’s “Hands to Myself.” The post appeared to reference Tuesday’s altercation with Sheldon.

"Can’t keep my hands to myself, I mean I could, but why would I want to?" Cunningham lip-synced in the video.

"It’s a joke… the sound was too fitting! Happy game day," Cunningham wrote in the caption.

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Indiana acquired Cunningham this offseason. She has carved out a key bench role for Fever coach Stephanie White. In seven games, she is averaging 6.4 points and 4.3 rebounds in 22.6 minutes per game.

The Fever return to action Sunday against the Las Vegas Aces at T-Mobile Arena in Paradise, Nevada.

About the author

Kim is an editor for US Sports and an NBA and WNBA analyst at Sportskeeda with a decade of multi-industry experience. He has a master's degree in business administration and a bachelor's degree in finance.

Writing has been Kim's passion, and during college, he was editor-in-chief. He has also accumulated a diverse entrepreneurial background. He possesses a knack for research and was recently a professor.

Kim has been a Boston Celtics fan since 2007, through its many ups and downs. He was delighted when the Cs raised its 18th banner in 2024.

Beyond basketball, he also enjoys following the NFL, MLB and F1. When not immersed in the world of sports and when he is not editing or writing, Kim is likely searching for the perfect cup of joe.

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Edited by Kim Daniel Rubinos