Sophie Cunningham's Popularity Explodes After Defending Caitlin Clark
Thanks to one action that saw her defend WNBA superstar and Indiana Fever teammate, Caitlin Clark, Sophie Cunningham's popularity is exploding.
In what was the skirmish heard 'round the world, the Fever were involved in a scuffle with the Connecticut Sun on Tuesday that saw Clark get poked in the eye and bumped to the ground by a Sun player.
It was the latest in a long series of events that have led many Clark supporters to believe she has been targeted by other WNBA players because of jealousy over her incredible and deserved popularity.
Another complaint from Clark supporters is that her teammates don't do enough to defend her. Well, Cunningham changed that.
As the game was winding down, Cunningham committed a hard foul on Sun guard Jacy Sheldon, who was responsible for poking Clark in the eye. Cunningham didn't stop there, though, as she also appeared to get the better of the tangle-up with her foe.
Sophie Cunningham targets Jacy Sheldon in retaliation for her hard foul on Caitlin Clark earlier in the game. #sophiecunningham #caitlinclark pic.twitter.com/62DFhH0NTp
— VIRTUE.NEWS (@virtuemediacorp) June 18, 2025
Since then, Cunningham's popularity has seen a meteoric rise.
According to Collin Rugg of Trending Politics, Cunningham's TikTok account has gained over 530,000 followers since the incident.
Daniel Bartel/Getty Images
Adding to that, Cunningham's jersey immediately sold out, per Jenna Malinowski of Mass Live. The jersey has since been re-stocked.
Cunningham's surge in popularity after defending her teammate only goes to show just how popular Clark is. Cunningham is basically a hero at this point, at least in the eyes of Clark's supporters.
Her Fever teammates might want to take note, as defending Clark isn't just the right thing to do, it's apparently a smart business decision, also.
Related: Tennis Legend Rips WNBA Players After Caitlin Clark Skirmish