The Indiana Fever celebrated Sophie Cunningham’s 30th birthday on Sunday night, August 16, 2026, with a team cake and a rendition of "Happy Birthday" after securing a 95-91 overtime victory against the Atlanta Dream. The post-game locker room celebration at Atlanta’s State Farm Arena was captured in a behind-the-scenes video shared by the team on X.
Cunningham, a veteran combo guard, contributed to the win with three points, seven rebounds, and strong defense during 32 minutes of play. Teammates Caitlin Clark, Ty Harris, and Lexie Hull were among those seen participating in the birthday festivities. Clark led the Fever with 26 points and nine assists, while Kelsey Mitchell added 20 points.
The game itself was a thriller, with the Fever mounting a comeback in overtime. A moment that drew significant attention occurred when Clark was seen laughing after Dream All-Star Angel Reese missed a potential game-winning layup in regulation.
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Cunningham has recently been a prominent figure in discussions surrounding transgender athletes in women's sports. In July, she expressed support for barring transgender athletes from girls' and women's sports in a profile with ESPN. Her comments have reportedly led to protests at WNBA games.
Addressing the controversy, Cunningham stated, "I never once said that [I hate trans]. I think that I am here to extend love. But I also think with that love is truth, being honest. And I want to protect young girls in a locker room, or young girls in sport who shouldn’t have to go against biological men."
She further clarified her position, saying, "I’m very much in the middle. I agree with things on both sides, disagree with things on both sides. And that’s all I’ve ever said about my political beliefs. But people love to assume."
The Indiana Fever, currently in fourth place in the WNBA standings with a 23-12 record, are scheduled to play the Toronto Tempo on Tuesday night.