Sophie Cunningham often grabs headlines for her pregame outfits. Whether she wears dresses or rocks simpler looks, her fashion draws a lot of attention online. The Indiana Fever guard’s attire on Wednesday ahead of the WNBA regular-season game against the Golden State Valkyries received a lot of praise.

She wore a laid-back, sporty outfit consisting of a fitted, short-sleeved cropped T-shirt in brown shade. Cunningham paired it with relaxed, wide-leg, mid-wash blue denim jeans and cream-colored closed-toe sneakers.

MORE: Sophie Cunningham shares reaction to serving as UFC 329 guest ring girl

The Fever posted her photo on Instagram and fans reacted to it in the comments section.

“Super abs!” a fan said.

“Sophie looking great,” one comment read.

“Sophie 🔥,” a user wrote.

“All very unique and cute ☺️ but the 4th one is the cutest 🤗,” posted another.

“Ayeeeee Sophieeeeee I see youuuu gurllll!!” one fan commented.

“Sophie 😎,” a reaction read.

Sophie Cunningham vs. the Valkyries

Cunningham came off the bench and played 27 minutes on Wednesday. She produced 10 points, including two 3-pointers, along with two rebounds. Her production backed Kelsey Mitchell’s game-high 20 points, and Aliyah Boston and Caitlin Clark’s 15 and 13, respectively. However, Indiana failed to extend their winning streak to three games, losing 88-75. Six Golden State players scored in double figures, led by Gabby Williams’ 16 and Kaitlyn Chen’s 14.

The Fever will return to action on Friday for the first night of a back-to-back set. Clark could sit either game, giving Cunningham the opportunity to potentially start in her place and make a bigger impact.

The meme that took over the internet almost didn't happen. Weeks after her now-famous stare-down with Phoenix Mercury veteran DeWanna Bonner became the defining image of the WNBA season, Sophie Cunningham finally explained exactly what was going through her mind.

And as it turns out, it wasn't some carefully planned act of gamesmanship. "Honestly, I just am a little sassy sometimes," Cunningham joked during an appearance on James Corden's Fox Sports World Cup show. "I've mastered getting in people's heads. It's kind of like a game within the game."

That "game within the game" produced one of the most recognizable sports memes of 2026.

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Cunningham's now-iconic point came during Indiana's heated showdown with the Phoenix Mercury, a game that was already boiling over after teammate Caitlin Clark and Bonner exchanged words late in the fourth quarter. Clark was hit with a technical foul, but Cunningham believed Bonner deserved one as well.

She initially pointed to Bonner to make her case to the officials. Then Bonner fired back.

According to Cunningham, Bonner told her not to point at her. Cunningham's response was simple: she kept pointing. And pointing. And pointing.

For roughly 22 seconds, Cunningham never broke eye contact, holding the pose until a Fever staff member finally nudged her toward the bench. Both players were assessed technical fouls, but by then the damage—or, depending on your perspective, the comedy—was done.

Since that night, the image has taken on a life of its own. WWE legend John Cena has referenced it. Major brands have recreated it in social media posts. Even the White House joined the trend on social media. During Cunningham's interview, comedian Ian Karmel jokingly suggested the pose should replace the WNBA's league logo, drawing laughter from everyone on set.

The moment has become bigger than the play that created it. Earlier this season, Cunningham explained the confrontation started because she was defending Clark after the Fever star's heated exchange with Bonner.

That game also sparked weeks of debate surrounding Clark, including questions about officiating, physical play, and player safety, after later incidents involving Alyssa Thomas and other opponents dominated the headlines.

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The WNBA is denying a report that Adam Silver influenced the suspension of Alyssa Thomas following an on-court incident with Caitlin Clark.

In a statement to Front Office Sports, a WNBA spokesperson said the report that NBA commissioner Adam Silver pushed WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert to suspend Alyssa Thomas is “absolutely false.” 

On Wednesday morning, Sports Business Journal reported that Silver “persuaded” Engelbert to suspend Thomas for an incident on June 24 in which the Mercury star struck Clark’s throat. Thomas was not thrown out of the game.

A day later, the league handed Thomas a Flagrant 2—which comes with a $1,000 fine—and one-game suspension for what it deemed to be a “non-basketball act.”

The level of influence the NBA has on the WNBA’s decision making is a longstanding question. The NBA holds a 42% equity stake in the WNBA, while multiple NBA owners have separate ownership stakes in the WNBA. The NBA did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Silver was asked about the future of Engelbert as WNBA commissioner on Tuesday night during a press conference at the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas. He did not give a definitive answer, but was complimentary about Engelbert’s performance.

“I’m very pleased with where the WNBA is. We’ve made tremendous progress under her leadership over the last several years … Cathy continues doing a strong job building that league. And we’ll have ongoing discussions about what the future looks like.” Silver said.

In March, Silver said there have been “no discussions yet” about Engelbert’s future. A month later, Engelbert aggressively deflected when asked about her future ahead of the 2026 WNBA season.

“I do crack up how everybody’s focused on me, and you should be focused on the hundreds of amazing women, and thousands of women who run this league outside of myself,” Engelbert said.

The post WNBA Denies Report That Adam Silver Influenced Alyssa Thomas Suspension appeared first on Front Office Sports.

Indiana Fever point guard Caitlin Clark has been named to the All-Star Game for the third time in as many seasons despite playing a career low in minutes. Unfortunately, a segment of the population seems set on perpetually discussing anything but her outstanding play on the court night after night, even as she deals with a back injury that has lingered throughout the season.

Last week, several Republican members of Congress penned a letter to WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert demanding that the WNBA take action to prevent what they deemed to be ” repeated acts of unnecessary physical hostility and violence” against Clark, and even mentioned that the acts “may be racially motivated.”

In a recent appearance on Fox News, conservative political commentator and former collegiate swimmer Riley Gaines commented on Clark’s treatment by the league and opposing players.

“Here’s what I’ll say about Caitlin Clark,” Gaines said. “It goes without saying that she is the golden goose of the WNBA. Do they hate her because she’s white? Maybe. Do they hate her because she’s straight? Maybe. I think it is rooted in jealousy.”

“I think she was the queen of the WNBA before she ever stepped foot on a WNBA court, and they hate her for it,” she added.

The Indiana Fever quickly attempted to distance the organization from any outside political agendas trying to be attached to its star player, but the damage seems to already have been done. Unfortunately for Gaines and the members of Congress behind the letter, their support has seemed to alienate more people against Clark.

“Caitlin Congress.”

Clark faced criticism for what many perceived to be her flopping in Sunday night’s game win against the Las Vegas Aces, and not only did she face some intense criticism, but some fans on social media slapped her with some unfortunate and undeserving nicknames.

“Confederate Clark back at it again,” one fan posted on X.

“Caitlin is getting bullied and needs more intervention from congress!!!! Karen’s tears after she crumpled to the ground after seeing the missed shot and heard the whistle got the refs to review for ‘hostile act’ after the review she still yelled at the refs. Pathetic,” another fan posted.

“Caitlin is an embarrassment to Women’s Basketball! First Calling Congress because they don’t let her get her way plus all the Flopping and showing out on the court like a Toddler! She is Weak and deserves Zero respect in the league!” someone else added.

“CaitlinCongress is a classic passive aggressive. If a player has status she’ll pretend they hurt her,” one account wrote.

“None of that is OK.”

What many of her harshest critics fail to realize, however, is that Clark has never voiced support for anyone’s political agenda, and has even come out against the hate that black women around the league have received online.

“The harassment, the hate. None of that is OK …” she said prior to Sunday’s game, via ESPN. “There should never be a question of character like I’ve always stood up here and said that, and that’s truly what I believe, that’s how I was raised. So, none of that is okay, and I don’t want anyone to experience that.”

The WNBA will be in a much better place when the conversations surrounding it are centered on basketball and made in good faith. Hopefully, that will begin to happen sooner rather than later, and more fans will begin to appreciate Clark’s exceptional ability on the court.

The post ‘Confederate Clark’: Caitlin Clark faces criticism after support from Riley Gaines, Republicans appeared first on The Comeback: Today’s Top Sports Stories & Reactions.

Sunday’s game between the Indiana Fever and Las Vegas Aces was highly anticipated. It was a chance for fans to see Caitlin Clark face A’ja Wilson again in a battle of WNBA superstars.

The three-time All-Star guard quickly turned heads. Clark didn’t waste time making her presence felt by knocking down a step-back triple over Wilson, giving Indiana an early 5-0 lead.

MORE: Caitlin Clark stuns with all-black outfit before Indiana Fever game

The Fever captured the sequence on Slo-Mo and posted it on X. Fans dropped their reactions in the comments section.

“IF SHE GETS THAT SPACE, SHE NEEDS TO TAKE THAT SHOT, LFG,” one user said.

“My GOAT (only one),” a comment read.

“That was awesome,” one fan wrote.

“Let’s go CC! Let’s get it!!” posted another.

“CC from way back!!!” another fan commented.

“Go girl,” a reaction read.

Caitlin Clark’s injury status

Clark missed Thursday’s game against the Phoenix Mercury. It was the second night of a back-to-back set, and Indiana opted to rest her due to back issues. She also saw limited action on Wednesday versus the Los Angeles Sparks, playing 16 minutes.

The Fever are taking a cautious approach on their superstar to preserve her for the playoffs. Clark missed the entire postseason last year due to different injuries, and the team wants to make sure that doesn’t happen again. She will likely continue being in a minutes restriction until her back fully heals. Indiana will have a four-game homestand after Sunday’s fixture.

Aliyah Boston’s popularity continues to grow as she dominates on the WNBA court and turns heads off of it. Her outfit on Sunday ahead of the matchup against the Las Vegas Aces drew a lot of attention.

The four-time All-Star arrived at Michelob Ultra Arena wearing a white, sleeveless, ribbed cropped tank top. She paired it with loose-fitting wide-leg track pants featuring a thick white waistband. Boston accessorized with a red shoulder handbag and styled her hair in long, dark braids.

MORE: Cailin Clark, Aliyah Boston make WNBA history during Indiana Fever game

The WNBA posted Boston’s tunnel walk on X, along with her teammates. She was the second player featured in the clip, after Caitlin Clark.

Boston and the Fever are aiming to win their second consecutive game after defeating the Phoenix Mercury on Thursday. A victory on Sunday would also give them a lot of momentum before they start their four-game homestand.

Aliyah Boston’s season stats

The 6-foot-5 center is enjoying her best season through 20 games. She is averaging a career-high 17.3 points and 8.7 rebounds, along with 2.7 assists, 1.0 steals and 1.3 blocks. Boston’s strong play has been one of the reasons why her team has turned its season around.

Indiana started by splitting its first 10 games of the season. However, the Fever are now 13-9 and are well-positioned at the midway point of the campaign to make the playoffs. They are currently fifth but have a good chance to continue to climb the standings.

The Las Vegas Aces (17-6) come off one of the biggest blowouts in NBA history on Saturday night to host the Indiana Fever (13-9) at Michelob Ultra Arena in Las Vegas on Sunday night.

How to Watch Indiana Fever vs Las Vegas Aces

• When: Sunday, July 12, 2026
• Time: 9:00 PM ET
• TV Channel: NBC
• Live Stream: Fubo (try for free)

A’ja Wilson finished with 21 points and 15 rebounds in just 25 minutes as Las Vegas routed the visiting Phoenix Mercury 106-58 on Saturday night. The 48-point margin was the third-largest in WNBA history, with the Aces leading by 54 at one point. Justine Pissott, who signed off Indiana’s development roster on Friday, scored 19 points in the fourth quarter in her WNBA debut, and Chelsea Gray went for 15 points and 12 assists.

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Kelsey Mitchell’s layup with 10.1 seconds left gave the Fever the lead in their 92-89 road win at Phoenix on Thursday night. Mitchell scored a game-high 29 points and also handed out eight assists as Indiana played without Caitlin Clark on the back end of a back-to-back. Aliyah Boston returned to the lineup with 21 points and nine rebounds, and Tyasha Harris scored 15 points.

Wilson averages 25.8 points, 9.7 rebounds, and 2.0 blocks for the Aces, with Jackie Young scoring 16.2 points per game and Gray putting up 12.4 points and 7.5 assists a night. Mitchell comes in with an average of 22.5 points, while Clark, a game-time decision for Sunday night, gets 20.5 points and 7.9 assists per game, and Boston posts 17.3 points and 8.7 boards per outing.

This is a great WNBA matchup that you will not want to miss; make sure to tune in and catch all the action.

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One of the surprises of the night during UFC 329 on Saturday was WNBA and Indiana Fever star guard Sophie Cunningham serving as a guest ring girl for one of the fights.

Cunningham said it was her first-ever UFC event and she ended up being a guest ring girl during the co-main event between Paddy Pimblett and Benoit Saint-Denis.

No surprise, Cunningham had a blast.

“Went to my first live fight last night, which was so cool,” Cunningham told reporters on Sunday. “The whole experience overall was wonderful.”

Cunningham serving as a guest ring girl was not initially in the plans for her evening.

MORE: Sophie Cunningham Adidas PE set to release this month

She said it came together “literally like five minutes before” she went into the Octagon after she spoke with UFC president and CEO Dana White, who she has become friends with.

“Dana came over to say what’s up and I was like, ‘Hey, if you need a ring girl, let me know,’ and he’s like, ‘Alright, first round for the Paddy fight, that’s you,'” she revealed.

“I was like, ‘Yeah, hah,’ and he was like, ‘No, seriously,’ and I was like, ‘Oh, God,'” she said with a laugh. “It was so much fun, though. It was a great environment.”

“I love Sophie Cunningham,” White told the media after the event.

“We’ve created a relationship, and she was here tonight. When she walked in, she goes, “Oh, I want to walk around that.’ I said, ‘Then you’re gonna walk around it,'” White explained.

Ultimately, everything went off without a hitch. Cunningham absolutely crushed her guest role.

As if Cunningham serving as the ring girl wasn’t awesome enough, the WNBA star also re-enacted her viral pointing standoff with UFC fighter Max Holloway after the main event.

A disappointing finish to UFC 329

While Cunningham had a great night, one of the participants in the main event, UFC legend Conor McGregor, who was making his return to the Octagon after five years, did not.

McGregor suffered a knee injury that forced a stoppage of the fight against Holloway after a little over one minute, which amounted to one of the most disappointing turn of events at a UFC event in the company’s history.

MORE: Conor McGregor warm-up video should quiet pre-fight injury rumors

McGregor’s return had a ton of hype, as evidenced by the UFC breaking its gate record by pulling in $25 million, which was $3 million more than the previous record.

There are many out there who believe that McGregor was injured before the fight started and just didn’t tell anyone, but that has yet to be proven.

Indiana Fever and WNBA superstar Caitlin Clark made her return to action for the Wednesday night contest against the Los Angeles Sparks after a two-game absence.

However, Clark (back) did not play the following night against the Phoenix Mercury, as the Fever wisely sat her out on the second leg of the back-to-back with the intention of slowly working her back into regular playing time.

With the Fever taking the floor against the Las Vegas Aces on Sunday night, here’s what we know about Clark’s status for the contest.

MORE: Caitlin Clark shows off new colorway for signature shoes

Is Caitlin Clark playing tonight?

Caitlin Clark is officially listed as probable for Sunday’s contest, but head coach Steph White revealed on Saturday that she would indeed be available against the Aces.

That said, just like she was in her return on Wednesday, Clark will be limited. The expectation is Clark will play 20 to 25 minutes, which would amount to an uptick from the previous game when she played 16 minutes.

MORE: Candace Parker says what WNBA royalty should be saying about Caitlin Clark

“Caitlin Clark will be available against Las Vegas (on Sunday), Steph White says, on a 20-25 minutes restriction,” the Indy Star’s Chloe Peterson relayed.

Shaking off the rust

Clark clearly wasn’t herself in her first game back, which was to be expected because she hadn’t played in a game in a few weeks.

But it also didn’t help that Clark played in three-minute bursts throughout the contest, something the WNBA All-Star admitted after the game.

MORE: Sophie Cunningham recreates viral pointing meme after UFC 329

“It’s really, really hard to get into a flow,” Clark said after the game. “For the most part, I got good looks, some of them went, some of them didn’t. I probably didn’t get to have a feel for the game as I usually do, like it’s just really, really hard for me to play in that scenario, but overall, my body feels great, so that’s the positive I can take from today.”

White revealed the goal with the three-minute spurts was to help Clark build up her stamina. The Fever won’t be deploying her like that again on Sunday, though, White said.

How to watch Fever vs. Aces

When: Sunday, July 12, 9 p.m. ET

Where: Michelob Ultra Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada

Watch: NBC, Peacock

UFC 329 was full of surprises on Saturday night, from the disastrous Conor McGregor comeback to Paddy Pimblett blowing through Benoit Saint Denis in less than one minute.

But before Pimblett stole the show in the co-main event, it was WNBA fan favorite Sophie Cunningham who generating buzz and trending on social media.

Cunningham, who became a star thanks to her role as Caitlin Clark’s enforcer on the Indiana Fever, made an unexpected cameo as a UFC ring girl before the start of the co-main event. Cunningham walked around the Octagon to signal Round 1, and then dropped her viral finger point taunt.

MORE: Max Holloway, Sophie Cunningham recreate viral pointing memes after UFC 329

At the post-fight press conference, UFC boss Dana White explained how the Cunningham cameo came to fruition, saying it was a last-minute decision that was made on a whim “about eight minutes before she did it.”

Dana White says he hired Sophie Cunningham as the ring girl “about 8 mins before she did it” pic.twitter.com/CF4aRQ49LC

— Rosalina Lee (@YoitsRosie) July 12, 2026

“I love Sophie Cunningham,” White told the media.

“We’ve created a relationship, and she was here tonight. “When she walked in, she goes, “Oh, I want to walk around that.’ I said, ‘Then you’re gonna walk around it.'”

MORE: UFC 329 results – Conor McGregor return ends in seconds due to injury

It was as simple as that.

Cunningham was in Las Vegas ahead of the Fever’s Sunday night showdown with the A’ja Wilson and the Aces at Michelob ULTRA Arena in primetime. Let’s hope that things go better for Cunningham and the Fever than they did for the UFC in the main event on Saturday night.

Tip-off is set for 9:00 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock.

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