Sophie Cunningham: From Caitlin Clark’s Protector to the WNBA’s Biggest Problem

The 2025 WNBA season was supposed to be about Caitlin Clark’s sophomore year, the rise of Paige Bueckers, and the league’s push toward expansion. But somewhere along the way, another storyline took center stage: Sophie Cunningham.

What started as a fiery veteran joining the Indiana Fever quickly transformed into something much bigger. Cunningham has become more than just Clark’s enforcer—she’s become the loudest voice for fans who feel the league has failed its biggest star, and the league office’s biggest headache in the process.

This is the story of how Sophie Cunningham went from role player to the WNBA’s worst nightmare.

The Enforcer Fans Were Begging For

From the moment Cunningham arrived in Indiana after her stint with the Phoenix Mercury, Fever fans were hopeful. The team had talent, but what it lacked was grit—someone willing to stand up for Caitlin Clark, who in her rookie year had been the target of cheap shots, hard fouls, and questionable officiating.

Cunningham promised exactly that. “I’m fierce, I’m sassy, I stick up for my teammates,” she said in one early interview. “Sometimes it’s okay to be feisty and to be yourself.”

Those words turned out to be an understatement.

Savage Sophie Emerges

The first signs of “Savage Sophie” came during a preseason matchup with the Washington Mystics. Rookie Kiki Fenn sent Cunningham crashing to the floor. Most players would have brushed it off, but Sophie popped right up, nose-to-nose, daring her opponent to try it again.

That moment set the tone. It wasn’t just about Sophie’s pride—it was about sending a message. If the league wasn’t going to protect Caitlin Clark, Sophie Cunningham would.

The tipping point came on June 17th, in a Commissioner’s Cup matchup against the Connecticut Sun. Officials let the game spiral out of control. Clark was raked across the eyes, then leveled by Marina Mabrey. No whistles, no ejections. Sophie finally snapped.

What followed became an instant highlight for Clark’s fanbase: Cunningham retaliated, putting her opponent in a headlock, shoving, and daring anyone to respond. To Fever fans, it was cathartic. At last, someone was fighting back.

Afterward, Sophie didn’t mince words. “It was a buildup of years of refs not protecting the star player of the WNBA,” she said. “At the end of the day, I’m going to protect my teammates. That’s what I do.”

Becoming a Fan Favorite—And a Villain

That moment turned Sophie Cunningham into a household name. Clark’s fans embraced her instantly. Her jersey sold out within minutes. Her social media exploded. She leaned into the moment, posting a viral TikTok referencing the incident, and her comments section filled with gratitude: Thank you for standing up for Caitlin.

But the league didn’t see it that way. Cunningham was fined. The media blasted her retaliation, while staying silent about the hits Caitlin had endured. A petition even circulated calling for her removal from the league.

If the WNBA thought that would silence her, they were wrong.

Sophie vs. The WNBA

From that moment forward, Cunningham stopped holding back. She called out referees for their inconsistency, the league office for expansion plans she thought were misguided, and even her former teammates.

On July 30th, she launched her podcast Show Me Something. From the very first episode, Sophie went scorched earth. She called out players for targeting Clark, criticized refs for losing control, and mocked the league’s fines as laughable.

At one point, she addressed the elephant in the room: Clark’s role as the face of the league. “When people try to argue she’s not the face of the WNBA, you’re dumb,” Cunningham said bluntly. “She’s changed our game in the best possible way.”

That kind of honesty was rare in the WNBA—and it made her both beloved and despised.

The Paige Bueckers Double Standard

Then came her most controversial moment. On an August podcast, Cunningham compared the treatment of Clark to Paige Bueckers, who entered the league in 2025.

“Don’t get me wrong, Paige is a hell of a player,” Sophie said. “But those refs were giving her every whistle. You literally couldn’t touch her. Meanwhile Caitlin still gets hacked with no protection.”

It was the kind of blunt observation fans had been shouting about for months, but no player had dared to say. The league’s response was predictable: another fine.

The WNBA’s Worst Nightmare

Now sidelined with an MCL injury, Cunningham’s season is over. But in many ways, her true impact is just beginning. On the court, she defended Caitlin Clark when no one else would. Off the court, she has become the voice of Clark’s fanbase, saying out loud what they have been screaming at their TVs.

Her platform isn’t about polishing the WNBA’s image. It’s about challenging it—its referees, its leadership, and even its players. Every fine only fuels her fire, because endorsement money more than covers the cost. And every time the league tries to silence her, her following only grows.

For the WNBA, that’s the nightmare: a charismatic player who fans adore, who defends the face of the league without fear, and who refuses to play by the league’s rules.

And as Cunningham herself said, this is only the beginning.