Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham added a twist to her latest appearance at an autograph event when a fan handed her a rookie card of then-Connecticut Sun guard Jacy Sheldon.
Fulfilling a direct fan request, Cunningham scrawled the phrase “Property of Sophie Cunningham” across the card, transforming a memorabilia moment into a trolling moment with unmistakable intent.
Lexie Hull exclaimed, “No way!” after hearing the request while seated next to Cunningham at the event.
This playful jab is deeply rooted in the tension from their June 17 showdown, where Cunningham delivered a flagrant-2 foul on Sheldon late in the game, sparking a near-brawl and resulting in both players being ejected.
A rivalry that heated up on the court
The spark for the confrontation came earlier in that contest, when Sheldon received a flagrant-1 for poking Fever star Caitlin Clark in the eye, followed by a shove from Marina Mabrey.
Cunningham‘s response in the final minute, yanking Sheldon to the floor during a fast break, served as payback and ignited a physical confrontation.
While Connecticut Sun head coach Rachid Meziane criticized the act as “completely stupid” and “disrespectful.”
Meziane didn’t hold back post-game. “When you are winning the game by 17 points and you are doing this, to me, stupid foul… Completely stupid,” he said, calling the act disrespectful and out of place, especially considering the Fever already had the win in hand.
The Fever ultimately won 88-71, securing their spot in the Commissioner’s Cup Final. But the real victory?
The emergence of Sophie Cunningham‘s new persona as the WNBA’s unexpected enforcer, a role she clearly wore well, whether on the court or online.
Following the dust-up, Cunningham‘s social media presence exploded. Her follower count on TikTok and Instagram surged by hundreds of thousands overnight, and her jerseys quickly sold out.
She leaned into that momentum with cheeky content, posting a video lip-synching to Selena Gomez, captioned, “It’s a joke… the sound was too fitting! happy game day.”
Meanwhile, Caitlin Clark gently reminded Cunningham to “focus on basketball,” following a TikTok aiming for swimsuit sponsorships.
A growing petition also emerged, calling for Cunningham‘s removal from the WNBA. Critics labeled her behavior dangerous and demeaning to the league’s standards, though others defended her, saying she was simply protecting a teammate.
From court chaos to social media sensation
Beyond the physical game, Cunningham‘s on-court loyalty paid off in the digital and commercial arenas nearly instantly.
Fans embraced her show of support for Clark, rewriting the narrative around the altercation as one of team protection rather than aggression.
Despite a $400 fine, the league opted not to suspend her, allowing Cunningham to compete in the Commissioner’s Cup final and maintain her momentum.
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