Sophie Cunningham says the WNBA applied a "double standard" by not further disciplining A'ja Wilson after her confrontation with a Fever fan.
Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham said on Saturday's episode of her podcast that the WNBA applied a "double standard" when it did not discipline Las Vegas Aces star A'ja Wilson for confronting a fan during Game 2 of the teams' first-round series. Cunningham made the comments on the No Hesitation Show, which she co-hosts with Drew Hanlen.
Cunningham was called for a fourth-quarter foul on Wilson during Indiana's Game 2 win Tuesday at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. A fan then stood and pointed at Wilson. Wilson stepped toward the fan as several Aces players ran over to pull her away.
Wilson received a technical foul on the play. The league did not discipline her further. Arena security escorted the fan out of the arena bowl and later allowed him to return, and ESPN reported that he had not violated the fan code of conduct.
Cunningham said she did not want Wilson ejected from the game, in part because the Fever "would have gotten a lot of backlash from that."
"She's like the LeBron James of our league, and so of course they're not going to suspend her... Something should have happened," Cunningham said. "The two people who came off the bench onto the court, that should have happened. I think there's definitely a double standard."
Cunningham Defends Fever Fan
After Game 2, Wilson said she saw the fan's actions as "unacceptable," and she apologized to her teammates for taking the technical, the New York Post reported. Wilson is a four-time MVP. She led the league in scoring this season at 26.2 points per game.
Fever general manager Amber Cox said at her end-of-season news conference Saturday that no fan pointed out by a player violated the WNBA code of conduct this season, ESPN reported. Aces forward Brianna Turner, a former Fever player, disputed Cox's statement on social media.
Cunningham said she does not think the fan did anything wrong.
"We yell from the rooftops that we want equality," Cunningham explained, "that we want to be treated like the men, that we want all this stuff and we deserve all these things, and we do, we do deserve it.
"But if you're asking for all these fans to come -- and you have new fans, who are real sports fans, and they come and do something that a sports fan would probably do if you're on the opposing team, and then you're going to go for him for just pointing, saying that you fouled?" Cunningham continued. "Grow up."
Cunningham Also Questions Officiating
Cunningham also said the Aces benefited from an "A'ja whistle" during the series. Fever teammate Caitlin Clark had previously reacted to a disparity in foul calls in the first round.
After Game 2, Cunningham posted a TikTok video about the incident. Earlier this season, she was involved in a finger-pointing incident with DeWanna Bonner.
Cunningham is an unrestricted free agent. The eight-year veteran averaged 7.9 points per game this season, her lowest scoring average since 2023. Cox said Saturday that situations unrelated to basketball would not influence her evaluation of Cunningham, ESPN reported.
Las Vegas won Game 1 of the series at home before Indiana took Game 2. Wilson had 38 points and 16 rebounds in the opener.
Back in Las Vegas on Thursday, Wilson scored 36 points and grabbed 10 rebounds as the Aces won Game 3, 94-83 to eliminate the Fever.
The Aces open the best-of-five semifinals against the Golden State Valkyries on Sunday at 4 p.m. ET at Chase Center in San Francisco. The game airs on NBC and Peacock.
