Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham began last Wednesday with over 300,000 TikTok followers after an intense game against the Connecticut Sun. During that match, she faced off against Sun guard Jacee Sheldon, who aggressively collided with Caitlyn Clark early on. Cunningham had previously garnered attention for her choice of costumes during her time with the Phoenix Mercury, but she seems genuinely surprised by her recent surge in popularity over the past week.
By Saturday, her TikTok following had surged past 1 million, and she expressed her gratitude in a playful video, saying, “You should buy a beer or two, Cheers friends.” By Tuesday morning, she had climbed to 1.4 million followers. In addition to her online fame, Cunningham also earned respect for her fierce defense of Clark during the game.
Cunningham, however, faced a fine after being ejected due to her actions following Sheldon’s foul. She remained resolute about protecting her teammates. “It was just part of the game. I think the refs had a lot to do with it. There’s been a lot of build-up over the years that didn’t protect the WNBA star players,” she remarked following a recent loss to the Golden State Valkyries. “At the end of the day, I’m going to protect my teammates, and that’s what I do.”
As they prepare for a match against the Las Vegas Aces, Cunningham showcased her camaraderie with Clark and fellow teammate Lexi Hull by wearing a shirt that read “Tress Lesch.” Even though the Fever stumbled in their last two games, there’s still a chance for them to bounce back against the Seattle Storm Tuesday night.
