Rusty Weiss
Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham, never one to bite her tongue, went off on her “Show Me Something” podcast and delivered some of the strongest criticism yet of how the league handles its biggest draw.
In other words, the controversy surrounding Caitlin Clark just got a whole lot more interesting.
Cunningham’s Blunt Take on the Thomas Incident
It all stems from last Wednesday’s heated Fever-Mercury matchup, where Phoenix’s Alyssa Thomas made blatant contact with Clark’s throat during a scramble for the ball. She also tried stepping on her, then over her. No foul was called live, though the league later upgraded it to a Flagrant 2 and suspended Thomas for one game.
Cunningham made it clear her team didn’t catch the play in real time, but didn’t hesitate on what should have happened if they did.
“I did not see that happen. None of our team saw that happen in real time, but if we did, we would have had her back,” the enforcer said.
She didn’t stop there, pointing to what she sees as a disturbing pattern.
“Unfortunately, this type of s— happens every single game to her and the league and the refs do absolutely nothing about it,” she said.
She added that videos show repeated kneeing and cheap shots, concluding: “They’re definitely targeting her and the league and the refs do nothing to protect her.”
Coming from a six-year Mercury veteran now playing alongside Clark, those words hit especially hard and have only intensified the rivalry.
WNBA player Sophie Cunningham calls out WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert by name, rips the league for not protecting her teammate, Caitlin Clark.
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) June 28, 2026
"This type of sh*t happens every single game to her, and the league and the refs do absolutely nothing about it."
Cunningham and… pic.twitter.com/F4EnFpcntS
Why This Keeps Happening and What Comes Next
Sophie Cunningham also took a few more pointed shots at her former team while on the podcast. The veteran guard, who spent six seasons with Phoenix before joining Indiana, claimed the negativity toward the organization runs deeper than just opposing players and fans. She was responding in real time to the Mercury posting a meme on social media mocking Clark after the incident.
“You know what’s funny? I know people inside their own organization that nobody likes that team this year,” Cunningham fired back. “They say they’re the unfriendliest group… so we’re not the only ones who feel that way.”
That meme was later removed.
🔥🚨 Sophie Cunningham reacts in real time to the Phoenix Mercury’s X post mocking Caitlin Clark’s throat punch incident:
— Gina Milan (@ginamilan_) June 27, 2026
“You know what’s funny? People inside their own organization don’t even like that team this year. They say they’re the unfriendliest group… so we’re not the… pic.twitter.com/vNU2NksVRk
Clark has powered record viewership and attendance since entering the league, yet the physical toll she absorbs night after night continues raising eyebrows. While the WNBA eventually reviewed the Thomas incident, many fans and insiders argue that stronger in-game protection is long overdue for the face of the league.
Cunningham’s frustration reflects a growing sentiment among Clark supporters: the league benefits enormously from her stardom but hasn’t figured out how to keep her safe on the floor.
