“So many ways to insult black ppl”: Olivia Nelson-Ododa fed up after Sophie Cunningham’s foul clip sparks ugly WNBA discourse

Olivia Nelson-Ododa called out the racism after a video of her fouling Sophie Cunningham went viral on social media. The video posted by @HeavenFX on X seemingly showed that Nelson-Ododa had hit the Indiana Fever star on the head with her elbow; however, the refs refused to call it a foul.

During a Fever's possession, Cunningham, who was in the corner, quickly rushed towards the free-throw line to set a screen on Nelson-Ododa, who was guarding Aliyah Boston. The Connecticut star saw Cunningham making a move, she raised her elbow and hit the Fever player on the head.

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After the video went viral, Nelson-Ododa read the comment section and was seemingly flabbergasted by the racism from WNBA fans.

"nahhhhh I didn’t realize there were so many ways to insult black ppl before reading the comments 😩😩😩😩😅😅," she wrote.

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The Indiana Fever defeated the Sun by 85-77. The Sun has now lost 13 of their last 14 games, and two against the Fever.

The Connecticut Sun center had six points, one assist and five rebounds in 20 minutes. After 22 games this season, the Sun have won just 3 games, sitting at the bottom.

Sophie Cunningham reacts to Olivia Nelson-Ododa's foul video

Sophie Cunningham has become one of the leaders on the Fever roster. From protecting her teammates and standing up for them to celebrating great moments with them, Cunningham had been leading the Fever's hype train.

However, perhaps the best part of Cunningham's game is the raw tenacious side of her. Cunningham has a heart to play in the toughest situations. After the video of Olivia Neslson-Ododa went viral on social media, Sophie Cunningham revealed what the game officials told her when she pleaded.

"they said I flopped. el oh el," Cunningham revealed.

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This is the second consecutive time that Cunningham has been the highlight of the Fever's game against the Sun. The last time they faced, Cunningham was involved in an ugly on-court brawl against Jacy Sheldon. During a play, when Sheldon was driving toward the basket, Cunningham pulled her off the court.

Earlier in the game, Sheldon had accidentally poked Caitlin Clark's eye, who was later pushed on the court by Marina Mabrey.

Notably, a petition to fire Cunningham was also being circulated online, asking fans for their signature.

About the author

Nandjee Ranjan is a journalist covering the NBA and WNBA at Sportskeeda whose passion for basketball dates back to his childhood when he enjoyed playing the sport in school.

Nandjee finds his heart divided between two NBA powerhouses: the LA Lakers and the Golden State Warriors. He idolizes LeBron James and his leadership, while he appreciates the Warriors' dynamic and team-oriented style of play.
Basketball, for Nandjee, isn't just a sport but a holistic approach to fitness and well-being. He's been drawn to team sports, finding fulfillment in the physical engagement basketball offers.

With years of following basketball, Nandjee contextualizes historical events and player performances. He believes in conducting thorough research before writing, only taking information from reliable sources. He doesn’t mind taking more time to write an articles, as long as it is 100% accurate for his readers’ benefit.

During his leisure hours, Nandjee finds relaxation by reading books.

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Edited by Alvin Amansec