Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham has publicly criticized the WNBA and its referees, asserting they do not adequately protect star player Caitlin Clark from being targeted on the court. Cunningham's comments came during her podcast, where she detailed instances of alleged "cheap shots" against Clark. Cunningham stated that if she witnessed such actions, her team would have defended Clark.
These remarks have coincided with a significant increase in the popularity of Cunningham's own jersey. A check of the WNBA's Fanatics website indicated that her No. 8 jersey was listed as the "Most Popular," though specific sales figures were not provided by the league or the retailer.
Cunningham's podcast comments included allegations that Clark is subjected to such incidents "every single game" and that the league and officials do "absolutely nothing about it." She also described an instance where she was "literally pointing" during a game and Clark was "losing her s---."
In response to a reader's query about the newsletter's coverage of the WNBA, the publication defended its editorial decisions, citing analytics and reader engagement data. The outlet stated that content related to Caitlin Clark, in particular, drives significant interest and search activity, justifying its continued reporting on the player and the league.
The article also briefly touched on other sports news, including the Boston Red Sox sweeping the New York Yankees in a series at Fenway Park, an unusual fan proposal during a game, and a mention of golfer Viktor Hovland's recent victory. It also noted the approaching halfway point of the MLB season and highlighted Rockies in-game host Gianna Girardi.