Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever are in the midst of a five game home stand. At 9-8, the team has a real opportunity to get above .500 and stay there. Indiana is six games back from first place in their conference as we approach the midway point in the season.
However, Clark’s teammate is catching heat off the court.
“That’s Why” Caitlin Clark Sees Teammate Double Down On Insulting Public Remark
After heavy backlash from the sports world, Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham addressed her controversial comments regarding the WNBA’s new expansion cities. However, she didn’t apologize and seemed to make excuses:
Following news of the league’s expansion plans, Cunningham threw shade at Cleveland and Detroit in particular, calling them cities that fans may not be that excited about when it comes to growing women’s basketball. Cunningham instead named Miami, Nashville and Kansas City as her preferred pick of cities with “amazing opportunity.”
The Fever guard has since received an onslaught of criticism for her disparaging comments. Pro athletes from Cleveland and Detroit (Cavaliers players Donovan Mitchell and Tristan Thompson, Lions tackle Dan Skipper) clapped back at Cunningham, as did a few women’s basketball icons including Nancy Lieberman and Lisa Leslie.
On Thurday, Cunningham issued a clarification to her comments stressing that it was her “personal opinion.” While she didn’t exactly apologize for what she said, she acknowledged the historical relevance of Cleveland’s and Detroit’s former WNBA franchises (the Rockers and the Shock).
“First of all, I know the history behind the WNBA. I know that both of those cities have had teams before, and they got us to where we’re at,” Cunningham said. “All I was really getting at is the off-court lifestyle. And so I think that is really intriguing, I think Miami is intriguing, that’s all I was getting at. I’m thankful for what [Cleveland and Detroit’s WNBA teams] have done for the history of our sport, I think it’d be fun to get some teams outside the NBA market.
“I think people totally misread that situation. I would never speak down upon middle-class, blue-collar working people, that’s where I come from, I’m from Missouri, I get I’m in Indiana. That’s why I’m hinting at, Broadway [in Nashville] sounds fun, Miami sounds fun, all I was getting at.”
Here is the full video:
Fever wing Sophie Cunningham offers clarifying thoughts about her comments on WNBA expansion from earlier this week: pic.twitter.com/pkXuXywI6E
— Tony East (@TonyREast) July 3, 2025
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