Key Takeaways
- Sophie Cunningham embraced being booed during the Indiana Fever’s record-tying win over the Toronto Tempo, praising the loud, passionate crowd as “what sports is all about” and a great environment for women’s basketball.
- She contributed 13 points on perfect 3-for-3 three-point shooting in the 101–95 victory, backing up standout performances from Kelsey Mitchell’s 29 points and Caitlin Clark’s 24 points and seven assists as Indiana secured its 24th win of the season.
- Already a polarizing figure for her physical play, comments on race and transgender participation in women’s sports, and growing off-court profile, Cunningham framed her stance as protecting women’s competition while insisting she wants to “extend love” and does not hate trans people.
Sophie Cunningham heard the boos in Toronto. After helping the Indiana Fever match a franchise record, she made it clear she appreciated them.
According to USA Today, Cunningham was met with a hostile reception from parts of the crowd during Indiana's 101-95 victory over the Toronto Tempo on Tuesday night, August 18, at Scotiabank Arena. Instead of firing back after the game, the Fever guard praised Toronto fans for bringing the kind of atmosphere she wants to see around the WNBA.
"I wanna shout out the Tempo crowd and the city," Cunningham said. "The crowd was absolutely amazing, and you know, I think that's what sports is all about. You're gonna get boos. You're gonna get cheers, but just the fact that they're so passionate, they're loud, and they're putting on for the city, I think it's amazing."
Cunningham also gave credit to the Tempo themselves, specifically coach Sandy Brondello and players Marina Mabrey and Brittney Sykes. "What a great environment for women's basketball," she said during an on-court interview. "It's a hell of a crowd. It's a lot of fun to play in front of."
She had plenty of reasons to enjoy the night. Cunningham scored 13 points and went a perfect 3-for-3 from three-point range as Indiana picked up its 24th victory, tying the franchise record for wins in a season.
Kelsey Mitchell led all scorers with 29 points and extended her streak of 20-point games to 20, while Caitlin Clark finished with 24 points, seven assists and three rebounds.
The boos also came during a stretch in which Cunningham has become one of the WNBA's most polarizing—and visible—players. Her aggressive style has generated several heated moments on the court, including a recent collision with DiJonai Carrington that resulted in Carrington's ejection.
Cunningham has also faced criticism for comments about transgender participation in women's sports. In a July ESPN interview, she pushed back against claims that her position was motivated by animosity. "I got a lot of negative feedback about me hating trans," Cunningham said. "And I'm like, 'I never once said that.'"
She added that she wanted "to extend love" while also expressing her position on protecting women's athletic competition.
All that attention has increasingly followed Cunningham beyond basketball. She's reportedly shopping a tell-all book, has modeled for the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue and made an impromptu ring-girl appearance at UFC 329.
