Key Takeaways
- The WNBPA says brands and licensed partners cannot monetize Sophie Cunningham’s viral pointing gesture at DeWanna Bonner because it stems from an on-court confrontation between players.
- Cunningham can still profit off the meme herself through independent merch that uses her name, image, and likeness, as long as it doesn’t feature official WNBA or WNBPA branding.
- The 22-second point has become a defining image of the Indiana Fever’s season and Cunningham’s role as Caitlin Clark’s outspoken defender, crossing over into mainstream meme culture and even being reposted by the White House.
Sophie Cunningham's iconic pointing gesture may have taken over the internet, but the WNBA doesn't want to turn it into official merchandise.
The Indiana Fever guard's now-famous 22-second point at Phoenix Mercury veteran DeWanna Bonner became one of the league's biggest viral moments of the season, spawning countless memes and even earning a repost from the White House on X. But despite its popularity, the Women's National Basketball Players Association says licensed partners won't be allowed to cash in on it.
"For licensed apparel, we generally do not feature or look to monetize player conduct from a confrontation between our members," a WNBPA spokesperson told Front Office Sports.
The player’s union prohibits its licensees from producing officially licensed products centered on confrontation-based moments between players. That policy applies to companies including 2K, BreakingT, New Era, Lids, Panini and other WNBPA partners.
That doesn't mean Cunningham can't benefit from the moment herself.
Because players control their own name, image and likeness rights outside official league licensing, Cunningham remains free to create and sell merchandise featuring the viral point—as long as it doesn't include official WNBA or WNBPA branding.
Similar arrangements have played out before. In 2021, Kahleah Copper launched her own merchandise after a viral stare-down involving Cunningham during the WNBA Finals.
The pointing gesture itself has become one of the defining images of the Fever's season. It came during Cunningham's heated exchange with Bonner and quickly escaped the basketball world, becoming a social media meme used by sports fans, brands and even government accounts.
The viral clip also arrived during one of the WNBA's most closely watched stretches. Cunningham has repeatedly stepped into the spotlight while defending teammate Caitlin Clark amid ongoing debates about physical play and officiating.
