The 2025 WNBA season has been a disaster for the Indiana Fever. Indiana has been bit by the injury bug and is now without several important players. That includes superstar Caitlin Clark, who will not return this season. One of those injured players is speaking out against the league's referees once again.
Fever guard Sophie Cunningham went in on the W's referees again on her Show Me Something podcast.
“I don't think I have to numb it down,” Cunningham began. “If I say say the word “ref” on this podcast I'm gonna get fined. So I might as well just go balls to the wall.”
Cunningham has already been fined multiple times for comments made on her podcast. Most of those fines are her critiquing WNBA referees.
This time, Cunningham argued that WNBA referees are letting the game be played too physically. She suggested that players are more prone to resort to fights and retaliation as a result.
“What really pissed me off about last week are three things,” Cunningham continued. “They were playing Minnesota and I think Minnesota's a great, great time. But I think what is getting out of hand is the refs are allowing it to be too physical. Then people can get away with certain stuff. That's when emotions flare and that's when you see fights or people doing things that they shouldn't be doing.”
She highlighted Kayla McBride's big hit on Lexie Hull as one example.
Though she did note that it was Lexie's collision with Seattle's Gabby Williams that caused her double black eyes.
Can the Fever still make the 2025 WNBA playoffs?
The Fever have dealt with plenty of adversity so far this season. But miraculously, they are still alive in the 2025 playoff race.
Indiana is hanging onto eighth place in the WNBA by a thread at 21-20.
The Fever can still make the playoffs if they win the rest of their regular season games. But they may also need some help along the way. They have three remaining games (vs. Chicago, at Washington, vs. Minnesota) and have a chance to win them all.
Indiana is competing with Golden State, Los Angeles, and Seattle for the last three spots in the playoffs.
The Sparks are in hot pursuit at 19-21 with four games left to play.
If the Fever cannot win all of their remaining games, they will be rooting against the Sparks down the stretch.
Next up for the Fever is a home game against the Sky on Friday night.
