Indiana’s Sophie Cunningham has never shied away from confronting WNBA referees. Yet, following the Fever‘s 90-83 victory over the Las Vegas Aces in Game 4 of the Semifinals, she offered what seemed like a surprising compliment.
Cunningham, who is sidelined with a season-ending injury, responded to X chatter, stemming from Robin Lundberg’s post pointing out that “the Fever definitely benefited from the whistle today”, with a message that surprised many.
“And it’s about damn time. I honestly thought the refs did a nice job today on both sides!” she wrote.
This win knotted the series at 2-2 and kept Indiana alive with a Game 5 looming in Las Vegas.
Despite the absence of Cunningham and other key players, the Fever leaned heavily on Aliyah Boston and Kelsey Mitchell, whose performances were central to the victory.
That candid praise is especially noteworthy coming from a player with a long history of criticizing officiating in the league, a history she has spoken about at length on her Show Me Something podcast.
A rare moment of referee praise
In previous sessions of her podcast, Cunningham expressed frustration with what she sees as uneven enforcement:
“What is kind of getting out of hand is that the refs are allowing it to be too physical, and then people can get away with certain stuff. And then that’s when emotions flare, and that’s when you see fights, or people doing things that they probably shouldn’t be doing.”
She also cited a specific incident involving her teammate Lexie Hull being elbowed, saying:
“That should have been upgraded. Because I know if that was anybody on our team, if it was me, probably because I talk s*** on here, and then my reputation, they probably would have thrown me out [of the game]. And so, that’s not okay.”
Given that backdrop, her postgame response stood out: instead of the usual criticism, she acknowledged that the officials handled the game well.
The Fever were awarded 34 free throws compared to the Aces’ 11, a gap that had already drawn commentary.
The shift is notable not only because of her prior posture but because officiating in playoff series often tilts game by game. Game 5 will bring a different feel.
The Game 4 outcome evened the series at 2-2, setting the stage for what promises to be a high-stakes decider.
Whatever adjustments come in terms of tactics and lineups, Cunningham‘s momentary truce with the referees is a fascinating subplot.
Regardless of whether she maintains that tone, her acknowledgment may signal a more nuanced approach, even from someone who has made referees a frequent target of her commentary.
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