Indiana Fever player Sophie Cunningham performed Toby Keith's "Courtesy of the Red, White & Blue" at Clayton's Country Bar in Indianapolis on Friday night. The performance occurred hours after the Fever defeated the Wings 98-87, marking their eighth win in their last 10 games.
Cunningham's off-court moment went viral on social media, with videos showing her singing atop the bar as the crowd joined in. This incident follows recent headlines surrounding Cunningham's remarks on transgender athletes competing in women's sports. In an interview with ESPN last month, she stated, "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 reiterated her stance, saying, "I stand by what I said, and I’ll always believe that."
Cunningham's comments have generated significant discussion and some backlash across the sports world. Minnesota Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve wore a shirt reading "Trans Kids Belong" during a game against the Fever. Additionally, after a recent game where Cunningham was hit in the face and the opposing player received a flagrant foul, the player posted "WHITE PRIVILEGE @indianafever" on social media, which later led to an exchange where the player clarified her comment was not about the foul itself.
The WNBA has also addressed the topic, with a recent task force meeting concluding that "there are no immediate eligibility matters affecting" the league.