Sophie Cunningham, a player for the Indiana Fever, has asserted that opposing WNBA players are intentionally targeting her teammate Caitlin Clark. This claim follows an incident where Clark sustained an injury after being hit in the throat by Alyssa Thomas of the Chicago Sky during a game on June 24, 2026.
Cunningham voiced her strong opinion on an episode of the podcast “Show Me Something Sophie Cunningham & West Wilson,” released on Saturday. She stated, "Unfortunately, this type of s–t happens every single game to her and the league and the refs do absolutely nothing about it." Cunningham added that if a similar play occurred against a teammate, the team would be upset, and emphasized, "they’re definitely targeting her and the league and the refs do nothing to protect her."
The play in question occurred in the second quarter of the Fever’s game against the Phoenix Mercury. Clark drove to the basket, tripped, and fell. As the ball rolled away, Thomas’ fist made contact with Clark’s neck. No foul was called on the play at the time.
The following day, Thomas was assessed a Flagrant 2 foul and retroactively suspended for one game. However, Mercury head coach Nate Tibbetts criticized the league’s investigation process, calling it "not thorough" and stating that individuals involved were not questioned. Tibbetts noted that players within the WNBA are aware of Thomas' aggressive playing style.
Indiana Fever head coach Stephanie White also condemned the lack of a foul call during the game, describing it as "egregious" and "absolutely unacceptable."
Cunningham acknowledged she did not see the play live, nor did her team. "I promise you if we would have seen that happen, we would’ve had her back," she said. "Unfortunately, this type of s–t happens every single game to her and the league and the refs do absolutely nothing about it."
The Indiana Fever lost the game to the Mercury 111-109. Clark, who left the game in the second half due to injury and subsequently missed the Fever’s game on Saturday, scored 19 points in 20 minutes before exiting.
Cunningham and Clark have been teammates on the Fever for the past two seasons. Cunningham previously played six seasons with the Phoenix Mercury to start her WNBA career.