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Caitlin Clark’s enforcer Sophie Cunningham opens up on WNBA tensions and fights
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Indiana Fever -star Sophie Cunningham, the favored “Enforcer” teammate of Caitlin Clark, gave a glimpse into the remedy of Clark by different groups, and the results of the stress it created throughout WNBA video games.
Cunningam revealed how her former group, the Phoenix Mercury, was planning to play Clarkf through the Rookie season of the phenomenon in 2024. Cunningham performed her first 5 seasons in Phoenix earlier than he left to take part within the fever previously out of season.
“You’ve got seen gamers in our competitors making an attempt, reminiscent of, reminiscent of, Caitlin … Even when I wasn’t in her group, I do know the conversations that Phoenix had within the dressing room, reminiscent of” No, we will present her what the W actually is, “and I get it to a sure extent, and I come to a sure extent, and that is how you’ve gotten the competitors said on her podcasT.
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Indiana Fever Guard Sophie Cunningham (8) and Connecticut Solar Guard Jacy Sheldon (4) Struggle within the second half of a WNBA basketball match in Indianapolis, Tuesday 17 June 2025. (AP Photograph/Michael Conroy)
“And now being in her group and seeing it, I’m ‘what are his individuals’, it’s actually an excessive amount of, it’s an excessive amount of. I’m over it, and if I feel it’s an excessive amount of, it’s in all probability an excessive amount of.”
Cunningham was on the opposite aspect of the state of affairs when she began a combat to defend Clark throughout a match towards the Connecticut Solar earlier this season. Cunningham stated Clark after the sport “Lastly!” Within the dressing room.
“She goes within the dressing room, I feel she’s:” Lastly! “Mentioned Cunningham. “However I feel it had our group as a complete collectively. Everybody stated,” We have now to guard one another. “
The battle fell in Connecticut on June 17, when Cunningham dedicated a tough mistake on Solar Guard Jiay Sheldon. Sheldon Sticked Clark Earlier within the recreation, after which colleague Solar Participant Marina Mabrey Clark pushed on the bottom.
So Cunningham Sheldon pursued within the fourth quarter to commit a payback time.
“Final second intrusive thought, I used to be like ‘f — it’,” stated Cunningham about her determination to trigger the combat.
Their heated alternate became a push recreation earlier than gamers got here from each groups to interrupt it out.
Cunningham, Sheldon and Solar Guard Lindsay Allen have been forged out of the competitors with about 40 seconds left earlier than the fever took the victory residence.
However Cunningham claims that the interplay has left its mark on her face.
“She did not wish to do it, however she has chip my tooth,” stated Cunningham. “It’s a bit discolored … We actually cracked tooth in the midst of the sport, reminiscent of face-to-face.
“There are a number of gamers of their group who simply do some further issues.”
Who’s Sophie Cunningham? Caitlin Clark’s new ‘Bodyguard’ teammate
June 17, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, US; Indiana Fever Guard Sophie Cunningham (8) and Connecticut Solar Guard Jacy Sheldon (4) go in a combat within the second half in Gainbridge Fieldhouse. (Trevor Ruszkowski imagn photographs)
Cunningham additionally claimed that she was fined “Like, $ 900” by the WNBA for the combat. But additionally claims that it was “her second” as a result of her followers on Instagram and Tiktok shortly after the sport past one million pictures. Cunningham beforehand claimed that she was additionally fined $ 500 for a Tiktok who criticized jokes Wnba referees.
Earlier she shouted referees only some days after the combat of 17 June whereas she spoke with reporters, as a result of she didn’t defend Clark when she needed to sort out the combat for the primary time.
“Throughout that it was solely part of the sport. I feel the referees had loads to do with it. It was now a construction of them that they simply didn’t defend the star participant of the Wnba,” stated Cunningham. “On the finish of the day I’ll defend my teammates. That is what I do.”
For a lot of, Cunningham has develop into a people hero and its reputation has been raised within the days because the combat.
With Cunningham who earns the nickname “The Enforcer” for the fever, followers who rely on her to guard Caitlin Clark, simple to relaxation, understanding that she is a black belt within the Korean martial artwork of Taekwondo.
She earned the black belt on the age of 6.
Her father Jim performed soccer on the College of Missouri and finally adopted in her father’s footsteps on the soccer discipline.
A Article 2014 The Columbia Missourian reported that Cunningham was the primary girl to attain factors for the group in historical past, when she kicked two of the 4 further factors as an alternative of the common kicker of the group, who had torn an ACL.
Cunningham even kicked kicked.
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Sophie Cunningham #8 of the Indiana Fever arrives to the Area earlier than the match towards the Chicago Sky on July 27, 2025 within the Wintrust Area in Chicago, IL. (Gary Dineen/NBAE through Getty photographs)
“I used to be so nervous,” Cunningham stated the outlet. “I imply, I’ve by no means performed soccer in my whole life. Precisely once I bought the ball (on the opening kick), I could not hear something. I simply put the ball down and kicked him.”
Cunningham comes from a household of farmers and credit that in line with the individual she is at this time, in line with five -part function series by the College of Missouri.
“A lot of our success goes again to what we have now discovered right here,” stated Cunningham about engaged on the farm. “We thought it was nice to come back to the farm to assist. We discovered how we will work arduous and work collectively. It made us sturdy.”
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