Sophie Cunningham Reveals What Her Former WNBA Team Really Said About Caitlin Clark

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Sophie Cunningham Reveals What Her Former WNBA Team Really Said About Caitlin Clark originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
The first episode of Sophie Cunningham's new podcast "Show Me Something" could not have come out at a more strategic time.
Business Is Booming for Sophie Cunningham
Cunningham's profile has been on the rise ever since she stepped in as Caitlin Clark's "enforcer" during an Indiana Fever game earlier this season, resulting in millions of new social media followers and brand deals with the likes of Ring and Arby's.
On Wednesday night, the Fever will host the Phoenix Mercury in Cunningham's first game against her former WNBA team — not to mention Mercury forward DeWanna Bonner, who Indiana waived last month.
How WNBA Treated Clark Different from Other Rookies
On her new show, Cunningham reflected on Clark's status as a face of the WNBA at just 23 years old. One of the biggest revelations she shared with her audience and co-host West Wilson was the conversation in the Phoenix locker room about welcoming Clark to the league during her rookie season.
'You have seen players in our league try to toughen up Caitlin, even when I wasn't on her team," Cunningham reflected.
"I know the talks Phoenix had in the locker room of like, 'We're going to show her what the (WNBA) really is,'" said Cunningham, who spent six seasons with the Mercury.
"I get it to a certain extent," she continued, before pointing out the clear difference when it came to Clark. "Every rookie coming into the league that's how you're going to treat them. But there's just more for [Clark].'
Cunningham Takes Pride in Protecting Caitlin Clark on the Fever
Cunningham brought up Clark's treatment in the year she was the No. 1 overall draft pick and won WNBA Rookie of the Year in order to show fans why she believes Clark — who Cunningham, 28, described as her "little cousin" — needed some protection.
It was how Cunningham explained her role in the game against the Connecticut Sun, when she took it upon herself to give a hard foul to Clark's rival, Jacy Sheldon. Her actions resulted in her getting ejected from the game and fined by the WNBA — all in the name of standing up for the Fever's franchise player.
With experience seeing how other teams treated Clark last year and how it looks as her teammate this year, Cunningham has a unique perspective on the treatment Clark gets night in and night out in the WNBA.
Thanks to her new podcast, fans got a glimpse of what those conversations really sounded like.
The Fever-Mercury game begins at 7 p.m. ET Wednesday.This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 30, 2025, where it first appeared.