Sophie Cunningham is making headlines, though not exactly quietly.
The Fever star recently faced a $500 fine related to a TikTok video she posted. “I was fined $500 for this TikTok,” she remarked on X, adding two crying-laughing emojis. “Why is this interesting for me… like, okay, you got it!”
In her video, Cunningham lip-synced to Sabrina Carpenter’s song “Manchild,” tagging the referees with the handle “@refs.”
Carpenter’s lyrics included lines like, “Silly. Or is it slow? Maybe it’s useless,” which echoed thoughtfully in Cunningham’s choice of content.
It’s a bit vague what Cunningham meant by having more pressing concerns in the league. There’s ongoing news regarding the collective bargaining agreement between the WNBA and the Players Union that might hint at her frustrations.
This past weekend, she did not hold back when a reporter inquired about the number of games in the WNBA season. “You can just say [commissioner] Cathy [Engelbert],” Cunningham responded during practice.
Cunningham had also been fined earlier for her involvement in a heated moment during a game against the Sun, where she passionately defended a teammate after a controversial play.
After that match, she openly criticized the referees, saying, “It was just a part of the game. I think refs had a lot to do with it. There’s been a build-up over the years where they haven’t protected the WNBA star players. At the end of the day, you have to protect your teammates. That’s what I do.”
