Indiana Fever’s Sophie Cunningham Punished Over Paige Bueckers Comment

Timeline of Sophie Cunningham's WNBA Fines

Up to this point, Cunningham has been fined for:

• June 17 incident and a fine for a flagrant foul. In a heated Fever–Sun game on June 17, Cunningham was ejected after a late hard foul that ignited a bench-clearing scuffle; the league later announced a fine related to what was classified as a flagrant-2 foul (the league typically levies a fine in those circumstances).
• July 18 - $500 for a TikTok. On July 18, Cunningham posted a TikTok in which she lip-synced to lyrics that implied some referees were "stupid/slow/useless" and tagged "@ some refs." The WNBA fined her $500 for that social-media post.
• August 5 - $1,500 for podcast remarks. Cunningham launched her podcast "Show Me Something" and on the premiere episode, criticized officiating as "just so inconsistent." The WNBA fined her $1,500 for comments she made on the program.

Now, in the episode posted on Tuesday, Cunningham said she was "officially three for three on being fined by the WNBA," referencing the three league actions this season.

Cunningham’s recent commentary that sparked the most immediate media reaction targeted rookie Paige Bueckers, as Cunningham said on the Aug. 13 "Show Me Something" episode that she felt the referees were "giving [Bueckers] every whistle" in a close game between the Fever and the Dallas Wings.

Bueckers downplayed the criticism and told reporters, "Everyone is entitled to their own unique personal opinion."

Cunningham has become a fan favorite this season in Indiana, both for her outspoken personality and her gritty play on the court.

Whether her podcast continues to draw league scrutiny remains to be seen, but her play (and candidness) has made her one of the WNBA’s most visible personalities this season.