The Indiana Fever are learning to play well without Caitlin Clark. Indiana is on a three-game winning streak without their best player, who is out with a groin injury. The Fever have continued stacking wins thanks to players like Sophie Cunningham stepping up in a big way.
Fever guard Sophie Cunningham kept the pressure on the W's referees in a recent interview.
“I'm not saying that your job is easy,” Cunningham said on the Show Me Something podcast. “But when it is a simple call right in front of your face multiple times, what are you doing? What are you doing?”
Cunningham accused referees of being inconsistent with their calls, especially the frequency of fouls within a given game.
“They’re just so inconsistent,” Cunningham continued. “Like that's my thing. Like if you're on the other team and you're going to be fouling the s–t out of me. Cool. But let me do it to you. And I think that's players across the league, and like new fans across the country. Like everyone's like, “What is going on with refs?” And I'm like, ‘I don't know.’ And you fining me $500 is not going to do s—t.”
Fever fans might also cite inconsistent calls during a June game against the Sun, where Marina Mabrey checked Caitlin Clark and did not receive a flagrant foul.
The Fever and Sun later had a brawl resulting in three players, including Cunningham, being ejected with one minute left.
Fever guard Sophie Cunningham shaded WNBA refs in TikTok post
Cunningham sounds unwilling to let that $500 fine slide.
The Fever guard made a post on TikTok back in July throwing shade at the WNBA's referees. She received a $500 fine as a result.
“I got fined $500 for this TikTok 🤣🤣 idk why this is funny to me… like ok 👍🏼 you got it bud! Cause there are no more important things to be worried about with our league right now,” Cunningham posted on social media in response.
Cunningham has not been shy about speaking her mind recently.
Sophie made headlines in early July when she claimed that WNBA players may not be “excited” about playing in certain markets. She was commenting on the WNBA's announcement that the league is expanding into Cleveland, Detroit, and Philadelphia by the 2030 season.
WNBA fans may not agree with Cunningham 100% of the time, but she does seem right on the money with her critiques of the league's officiating.
Next up for the Fever is a road game against the Wings on Friday night.
