When the Indiana Fever took on the Connecticut Sun the other night, most fans came for Caitlin Clark. What they got instead was a glimpse of something else, something the WNBA hasn’t fully reckoned with yet. That something was Sophie Cunningham, and she brought more than just defense. She brought backup. She brought grit. She brought an edge that said, “We’re done taking your cheap shots.”
It started with a hard foul. But it ended with a statement.
The play-by-play won’t tell the full story, but here’s the rundown. Early in the game, Caitlin Clark got a little shove from Jacy Sheldon, but it wasn’t long before her teammates Tina Charles and Marina Mabrey were there to gang up on the three-point shooting star. After hitting the deck, Clark made all three technical free throws like a seasoned vet. But the message was clear: Connecticut wanted to send a warning.
They didn’t realize Indiana had an answer waiting.
Later in the game, tensions flared again. Another hard foul. This time, it wasn’t Clark. Sophie Cunningham entered the fray and delivered her own version of justice. Anyone watching closely could tell that Sophie was not playing around.
See, there’s something about Sophie that casual fans might not know: she’s got martial arts training. That’s not metaphor. That’s muscle memory. So while most players might push and shove, Sophie knows how to handle the situation.
And that’s the line Connecticut didn’t know they had crossed. When you gang up on a rookie just because she’s drawing national headlines, you’ve already shown your cards. But when the rookie keeps her cool and sinks three in a row, and then her teammates start clapping back? That’s when the game changes.
Let’s be honest: the WNBA has had a rough time handling the Caitlin Clark era. Some players are annoyed by the attention she gets. Others try to “welcome” her with elbows and hard fouls. And still others cry foul, literally, when the refs blow the whistle on those tactics.
But what’s becoming more clear by the day is that Clark isn’t alone anymore.
At the start of the season, the narrative was that she had to carry Indiana. That she was the star on a struggling team. That if you shut her down, the Fever would collapse. That was true, until it wasn’t.
Now, players like Aliyah Boston, Kelsey Mitchell, and yes, Sophie Cunningham, are stepping up. Not just to support Clark, but to redefine what this team is. They’re not just the “Caitlin Clark Show” anymore. They’re a squad. A unit. A team that’s finding its voice and its bite.
And let’s not overlook the irony here. DeWanna Bonner and Alyssa Thomas have made a name off being physical. They play tough. They don’t back down. But when Sophie clapped back, suddenly there were complaints. Suddenly, there were accusations of being “too aggressive.”
Sheldon complained! She complained to the refs. When they didn’t hear her, she complained to her own team. But wait! Earlier, she was puffing up when she was in a 3-on-1 against Clark. Now, she’s crying? Does that make sense? Oh, the hypocrisy…
It’s almost like some people only want physical play when they’re the ones dishing it out.
Here’s the real message Connecticut and the rest of the league should take home: if you foul Caitlin Clark, she’ll make you pay at the line. But if you target her, if you bully her, if you think she’s an easy mark because she’s a rookie with endorsements?
You’ve got another think coming.
Because now she has teammates who will take up for her. And some of them, like Sophie Cunningham, didn’t come to play games. They came to win. And if winning means standing up, squaring up, and letting the league know that the Fever are not the punching bag anymore?
Then that’s exactly what they’ll do.
This isn’t just about one player. It’s about a cultural shift. And if the WNBA isn’t careful, they’re going to get left behind by a new wave of players who aren’t afraid to push back.
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