New Camera Angle Shows The Perfectly Timed Chokehold That Sophie Cunningham Delivered To Connecticut Sun's Jacy SheldonIndiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham (Photo by Grace Smith/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
Sophie Cunningham can do more than just play basketball.

The Indiana Fever were riding high after their big win over the Liberty on Saturday, a game that saw the return of Caitlin Clark after five missed games with a quad injury.

On Tuesday, it was back to the hardcourt at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, where the Fever were playing the Connecticut Sun. Nobody had a clue what was to come during this game.

Tensions between Clark and Sun guard Jacy Sheldon, who started back in college, eventually picked up during this game.

Clark and Sheldon had multiple dust-ups, including a third-quarter tussle after Clark was poked in the eye. The Fever star shoved Sheldon, which led to Marina Mabrey shoving Clark to the ground.

Later in the game, Indiana guard Sophie Cunningham was ejected for what was deemed an unsportsmanlike foul on Sheldon.

 

One picture from the game shows Cunningham delivering a perfectly timed chokehold.

Sophie Cunningham Facing Punishment From WNBA

Sophie Cunningham posing in jerseySophie Cunningham (Grace Smith/IndyStar-USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
Caitlin Clark was on the receiving side of two seemingly dirty moves from Sun players Jacy Sheldon and Marina Mabrey.

With the game already over, Clark’s teammate Sophie Cunningham took a hard foul on Sheldon for some payback.

That led to a near-brawl in which Cunningham and Sheldon got into it on the baseline.

Cunningham was called for a Flagrant foul 2 and was automatically ejected after taking down Sheldon during a fastbreak play.

Cunningham is now facing further punishment from the league for her actions on Tuesday night. According to the WNBA rulebook, a Flagrant foul 2 is defined as “unnecessary and excessive contact” that warrants an immediate ejection from the game. Moreover, “the offender will be subject to a fine and/or suspension by the President.”

Houston Texans star Azeez Al-Shaair has admitted regrets over his illegal hit to Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence and the ensuing brawl between the teams in a lengthy statement on social media.  

Al-Shaair’s statement comes as his three-game suspension as a result of the incident has ended and he is slated to return to the field for the Texans on Sunday against the Tennessee Titans.

On December 1, an Al-Shaair hit to the head of a sliding and defenseless Lawrence caused chaos in Jacksonville. The defensive back needed to be restrained by several coaches and Lawrence has not played since taking the barbaric contact.

‘While so many jumped at the first opportunity to hop on the false narrative – that l’m a dirty player or bad person – the messages from all who stood by me were the only things keeping me mentally afloat during a time of isolation,’ Al-Shaair said on social media.

‘I’ve learned so much from this entire experience. Seeing myself on video – letting my emotions get the best of me to the point where I completely lost it – was an embarrassing and eye-opening moment for me.’

‘I’ve had to earn everything in my life. I never want to allow anyone to get me to a point where I jeopardize everything that I’ve worked all my life to obtain. That was not the way I want to represent myself or my family and I will continue to learn and grow from that moment.’

Azeez Al-Shaair has admitted regrets over his hit to Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence
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Azeez Al-Shaair has admitted regrets over his hit to Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence

The Texans defensive back was suspended for three games as a result of the hit to Lawrence
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The Texans defensive back was suspended for three games as a result of the hit to Lawrence

Al-Shaair said during his three-game ban, he met with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and other league executives for the first time, taking issue with how he was characterized in the official announcement of his suspension.

The defender said he thought his character and integrity were ‘unjustifiably smeared’ in the release but the meeting with Goodell and others was ‘productive’ and gave him hope it would not happen again.

‘In that conversation – man-to-man – I owned and acknowledged that my actions following my ejection were careless and, in that moment, I didn’t think about the responsibility I have been blessed with to represent the shield,’ Al-Shaair continued.

‘I also stated that the letter, and specifically the language used in the letter, was equally as careless and conveyed that the context of the words used were not a reflection of my character, nor my career, as I have not been warned multiple times for my play on the field.’

Al-Shaair’s hit on Lawrence was not the only controversial incident he was involved in this season.

During the Texans’ game against the Bears in September, he punched Roschon Johnson, who wasn’t even in the game at the time of another sideline confrontation.

Al-Shaair ended his statement by saying his view is that everyone in the league office and on the field are on the same team to represent the NFL in the best nature possible, something he failed to do earlier this month.

‘Lastly, I’ll say that this world is full of negative people who can’t wait to tear you down, but if you move with love and compassion, the seeds of good you planted in others’ lives can grow into the very tree that shades you with comfort and compassion when you need it most,’ Al-Shaair concluded.

‘I am a man of God, I am a leader, a warrior and a lover. I am also a hell of a football player and I’m grateful to be back doing what I love.’