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Sophie Cunningham Points to Aliyah Boston’s Fouls as Turning Point in Fever’s Playoff Exit

Originally posted on EssentiallySports
By Apoorva Chakrayat | Last updated Oct 5, 2025 10:16 AM ET

It didn’t take me a second to sum up Indiana Fever’s season in two words: Injuries & Officiating. Playing without their core on tight rotations and watching crucial games slip away thanks to questionable calls; it’s been a rough ride. True to form, the season-ending matchup followed the same brutal script: a key player lost to injury and yet another questionable foul that, in their eyes, straight-up cost them the game. At least, that’s how Sophie Cunningham saw it.

Credit where it’s due, Indiana’s run to the WNBA semifinals was nothing short of incredible. The Fever weren’t even supposed to be here, with five players out for the season, yet they not only made the playoffs but reached the semifinals for the first time in 10 years and pushed the Aces to a decisive Game 5.

And they almost pulled it off. Indiana tied the game and even forced overtime, only to fall 107–98. The lingering question was how different it could have been if….

Kelsey Mitchell hadn’t gone down in the third quarter, and
Aliyah Boston hadn’t fouled out.

While Mitchell’s non-contact injury was unavoidable, Boston’s fouling out left fans and players furious. With Mitchell sidelined, Coach Stephanie White had to bench Boston after she picked up her fifth foul on the same sequence. She returned at the start of the fourth, helped rally the team to tie the game, but with 27 seconds left, Boston was called for her sixth foul chasing a loose ball. White challenged it, but it was upheld, forcing Boston to sit out the rest of regulation and overtime.

On her podcast “Show Me Something,” Cunningham didn’t hold back. “Honestly, it’s so crazy because I think if the whistle would have gone just a couple more plays our way, we would be in the finals. Like, I’m not even kidding,” she said. Her co-host, West Wilson, added, “Oh, ’cause Aliyah fouled out, huh?” Cunningham continued, “Like, who — I mean, that was brutal. Two or three of her fouls were just bu—t.”

Not just Fever star, even fans were left stunned when the referees called a foul on Boston at such a critical moment. Sophie added, “And people come to watch these players. She’s an All-Star. You don’t foul out an All-Star in the finals. People aren’t paying money to come watch you ref a game to sit an All-Star on the bench.”

This is called a loose ball foul on Aliyah Boston. She fouls out.

In such a physical series, they call this in closing minutes of a Game 5. Alright pic.twitter.com/m4Cf8PDgaQ

— Ashwin (@Sudharsan_ak) October 1, 2025

Along with the “interest” factor Cunningham discussed, it was clear that without Boston in overtime, Indiana struggled in the paint on both ends. Boston had carried much of the defensive load all night, guarding A’ja Wilson for most of the game while drawing fouls herself. The Fever tried rotating Natasha Howard and Brianna Turner onto Wilson, but it didn’t solve the problem. Boston finished Game 5 with 11 points, 16 rebounds, and two assists in 32 minutes. Who knows, maybe she would have been the X factor in overtime?

Cunningham also shared that there’s a clip circulating showing all the fouls that weren’t called on Aces players. While I haven’t come across that video, given how the officiating has seemed particularly rough all season, it’s hard not to give a bit of the benefit of the doubt. Because to forget, in the very previous game, even Las Vegas admitted they lost due to poor calls. The Fever went to the line 34 times (Boston alone 13), while the Aces had just 11 free throws.

Basically, this whole series has been a mess. There’s hope things improve, though, as Commissioner Cathy Engelbert has promised that the newly formed “State of the Game” committee will review the situation.

Speaking of which, Cunningham hasn’t just taken shots at the referees; she’s got words for the WNBA commissioner, too.

Sophie Cunningham: “Be a great leader, Cathy!”

Before the 2025 WNBA Finals tipped off on October 3, league commissioner Cathy Engelbert was asked about the comments Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier claimed she made. Comments that stirred controversy and drew significant media attention. Engelbert addressed the issue, denying the remarks and highlighting the impact Collier’s claims had on her and her family. But Cunningham’s comments came just before Engelbert’s press conference, and it felt like a direct reaction to what the commissioner said on Friday.

Speaking candidly, Cunningham didn’t hold back. She stressed that a commissioner’s role is to respect the players, the product of the league, and lead with integrity. “Like, be a great leader. She’s not. She’s not in any sense. The disrespect is just crazy to me,” Cunningham said. She didn’t stop there. Cunningham pointed out how misaligned priorities can affect the league’s image and growth.

“I think this is such a pivotal point in the WNBA because there are so many eyes on us, and at the end of the day she’s worried about herself. In all of her statements it’s like, ‘Well, I got us here and I—,’ Cathy, no one cares. Literally, no one cares.”

This isn’t the first time Cunningham has been outspoken. She has consistently voiced her support for players, advocated for fair labor practices, and spoken strongly about the CBA and league leadership. As she herself said, ‘We are p—–’ and her comments leave no doubt that she truly is.

This article first appeared on EssentiallySports and was syndicated with permission.

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