Sophie Cunningham BREAKS SILENCE After LA Sparks DIRTY PLAY vs Indiana Fever! Caitlin Clark OUT!

Sophie Cunningham of WNBA Indiana Fever broke her silence after the most controversial loss of the season, and her six words will give you chills.

The Indiana Fever, without their superstar Caitlin Clark, just lost to the worst team in the WNBA – the Los Angeles Sparks – for the second time this season.

But this wasn’t just any loss. This was a heartbreaking defeat that ended their three-game winning streak, complete with dirty plays, terrible officiating, and Sophie getting grabbed around the neck with no foul called.

Her reaction? A smile and a laugh. What exactly did Sophie say after the game that changes everything about how we see this team’s fight?

Sophie Cunningham’s true feelings about ‘dirty player’ label after sparking WNBA brawl

Sophie Cunningham has dealt with the ‘dirty player’ label long before her defense of Caitlin Clark went viral last week, but the veteran guard has shrugged off the accusations

Sophie Cunningham #8 of the Indiana Fever looks on during the game against the Los Angeles Sparks on June 26, 2025 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Sophie Cunningham takes no notice of the criticism that often comes her way(Image: A.J. Mast/NBAE via Getty Images)

Sophie Cunningham previously shrugged off the “dirty player” accusations thrown her way, as she finds herself dealing with fallout of her viral defense of Caitlin Clark last week.

The Indiana Fever guard went from just being a hard worker to an internet sensation in the space of a few hours, following the team’s 88-71 win over the Connecticut Sun. After watching shining star Clark receive a heavy foul from Jacy Sheldon, Cunningham hopped onto the court and was clear about her feelings.

 

The 28-year-old fiercely knocked Sheldon to the floor not long after the initial foul, inciting a scuffle at one end of the court.

 

This elicited two fines from the league, with many fans taking to social media to criticize Cunningham’s actions, and some even went as far as to set up a petition to get her banned from the WNBA altogether.

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However, this isn’t the first time the Fever star has received some harsh feedback for her behavior as an athlete – and it is not something she takes to heart.

Sophie Cunningham #8 of the Indiana Fever and Jacy Sheldon #4 of the Connecticut Sun face off during an altercation in the fourth quarter at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on June 17, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Sophie Cunningham caused controversy on the court with her foul on Sheldon(Image: Dylan Buell/Getty Images)

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In 2024, Cunningham admitted she is no stranger to the “dirty player” label, which has followed her throughout college basketball into the WNBA today.

At the time, the elder basketball star insists that she tends to drown out the noise by focusing on her game, and that there are no ill intentions behind any of her actions.

Cunningham told SlamOnline last year: “For me, I don’t listen to all that noise. I got that stuff in college, too. We beat South Carolina multiple years in a row and all of a sudden I’m the dirty player and it’s like, ‘Nah, I’m just out working.’ I’m working y’all’s a–, you know what I mean?

“But I can’t really say that. I’ve been used to it but I just know that I have a very tight circle. I lean on them quite a bit…For me, I just want to be the best teammate, I wanna be the best competitor [and] I wanna do whatever it takes for my team to win and all that other noise can just be squashed.”

Caitlin Clark #22 of the Indiana Fever and Sophie Cunningham #8 of the Indiana Fever sit on the bench during the third quarter of a Commissioner's Cup game between the Indiana Fever and Atlanta Dream at Gateway Center Arena on June 10, 2025 in College Park, Georgia.
The Sheldon foul was seen as an ‘act of revenge’ for her teammate Clark(Image: Andrew J. Clark/ISI Photos/ISI Photos via Getty Images)

Cunningham has also been credited for her protective nature over the 23-year-old Clark, after her brawl with Sheldon was seen as an act of revenge for the latter’s foul on the Fever sensation earlier in the game.

And again, it seems like Cunningham’s respect and awe of the 2024 WNBA Rookie of the Year predates her joining the Fever in January.

Speaking on the Travis Hearn podcast in October last year, the then-Phoenix Mercury star hailed Clark’s attitude and talent in the WNBA. She said: “I think that she’s a gem.

Sophie Cunningham #8 and Caitlin Clark #22 of the Indiana Fever cheer from the bench against the Chicago Sky at the United Center on June 07, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois.
Sophie Cunningham was already a big fan of Caitlin Clark before the pair joined up at the Fever(Image: Daniel Bartel/Getty Images)

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“I didn’t know her, but All-Star Weekend we kind of bantered back and forth a little bit. And she’s lovely. She has a lot of pressure on her shoulders. I think a lot of people always have a lot to say with people they don’t even know or shoes they’ve never been in. And for me, I think she’s handling the pressure very well.”

Cunningham added: “I think she’s doing a lot of great things for women’s basketball, and I’m a fan. Like I would love to play with her one day, for real. Caitlin Clark’s been killing it. I’m a huge fan, and I never say that. But I think it’s fun what she’s doing.”

Now, the pair are lighting up the WNBA together, with Cunningham typically coming off of the Fever bench to support and back Clark during tight situations in games. She also stepped up as a key player for the team when Clark was unavailable through injury.