USA Today WNBA reporter Meghan L. Hall has criticized Indiana Fever player Sophie Cunningham for what she deemed "wildly unprofessional" comments made about the Phoenix Mercury. The remarks came after Cunningham defended her teammate Caitlin Clark following an incident in a recent game.
During an episode of her podcast, "Show Me Something," Cunningham stated that "nobody likes" the Phoenix Mercury, describing them as an "unfriendliest group." These comments followed an incident where Mercury player Alyssa Thomas struck Clark in the neck. Cunningham suggested that such actions are common against Clark and that the league and referees do not adequately protect her.
Hall responded to a clip of Cunningham's podcast on X, formerly Twitter, stating, "This is wildly unprofessional." She questioned how such statements contribute to the ongoing discourse surrounding the league and added, "There is not any scenario that exists where a player should be saying this about any organization."
The controversy escalated following a game in which Clark was driving to the basket and was struck by Thomas while on the ground. The incident occurred shortly after the Mercury's social media team posted a since-deleted image that some fans interpreted as mocking Clark. The post featured a doodle of a player wearing No. 24 and a caption playing on the name DeWanna Bonner, who is engaged to Thomas. While the Mercury reportedly stated the doodle was intended to commemorate Bonner's play, the post was removed amid fan backlash and confusion.
Cunningham also commented on her podcast about the perceived targeting of Clark, saying, "You see the videos of literally kneeing and cheap-shotting C in the throat... they are definitely targeting her and the league and the refs do nothing to protect her." Her co-host, West Wilson, further accused WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert of being jealous of Clark's fame.