Sophie Cunningham was no stranger to receiving fines in 2025.

The Fever guard frequently made headlines for her public criticism of WNBA referees throughout the season, whether it be in a post-game press conference or on her podcast, Show Me Something. She was not the only player to verbally express her frustration, but it quickly became a running joke with Cunningham having to pay the price for her words.

While some of the fines came as no surprise to Cunningham, one in particular stood out when it was levied.

“There was one fine that I was giving my opinion on the refs, but then the next episode of my podcast, I actually was apologizing to the refs and I was like, ‘You know, they do have a hard job,’” Cunningham said to Sports Illustrated at an event promoting Sun Cruiser. “And I got fined for that. So that was the most surprising one.”

Cunningham can laugh off the fines now, but she made her thoughts known as many of her Fever teammates suffered season-ending injuries—herself included. She often called for referees to be consistent and to protect players, including teammate Caitlin Clark, from games getting too physical and leading to injuries.

Though the fines have not fully stopped Cunningham from speaking her mind, she admits the one she received after apologizing opened her eyes about future commentary.

“I was like, ‘All right, I should just be quiet,’” Cunningham said.

Cunningham has spent part of her offseason promoting beverage brand Sun Cruiser after signing an endorsement deal with the brand, while she and the rest of the WNBA await a new Collective Bargaining Agreement to be ratified. She says the brand was a perfect fit for her personality.

“I have such a busy lifestyle, especially in season,” Cunningham said. “So out of season, I just want to relax. I want to have a good time. I want to have fun. … And that’s what that brand is all about. It’s an easy drink, it’s a relaxing drink, it’s fun, it’s chill, and so it fit into my lifestyle perfectly.”