Skip “I Can’t Lose In These Shoes Bayless” has always had a way with words, and he loves to start social media wars. Just because we don’t see him for hours everyday on a major network doesn’t mean he’s stopped searching for waves to ride and narratives to consume.
Bayless’s latest encounter has him attacking Indiana Fever star Sophie Cunningham as she defended her Fever teammate Caitlin Clark against Bayless questioning her desire to return despite an injury-plagued season.
Cunningham, the do-it-all guard/forward, tore her ACL last month and is out for the season. On Thursday, Clark, who’s appeared in only 13 games this season do to a myriad of injuries joined Cunningham and Aari McDonald on the injured list, bringing the total number of Fever players out for the season to three.
Cunningham Ain’t No Punk
Speaking on the latest episode of her “Show Me Something” podcast, Cunningham didn’t miss the opportunity to respond to Bayless calling her a clout chaser for always defending Clark.
“Dude, Skip, who’s the clout chaser? You’re literally using my name as your headline so people can click on it,” Cunningham said. “And, like, my thing is, I don’t mind the guy. I don’t mind the guy. I have no beef with you. I’ve never met you, I’ve actually really never listened to you. … I’m just kind of in my lane and someone sent it to me, and I was like, ‘What is this?’ He’s calling me a clout chaser, dude, you’re the one who has my name plastered all over your YouTube that had 36 views, like get out of here.”
“In college, I was that way. Don’t mess with me. Don’t mess with my teammates,” she added.
The Fever signed the Australian-born star last offseason because of her toughness, grit, fierce competitive nature, defensive versatility and her ability to shoot the three (43.2 percent this season and 37.2 for her career).
Fever Are Eighth Seed In The Playoffs
When the season began the Fever were believed to have a serious shot at possibly winning it all. In the offseason the team not only added the aforementioned Cunningham, they also added three-time WNBA champion Natasha Howard, and former Stanford sharpshooter Lexie Hull who’s in her second stint with the squad.
That trio teaming with franchise cornerstones Clark, Aliyah Boston and dynamic scoring guard Kelsey Mitchell looked great on paper, but do to injuries and a slow start to the season it never came to fruition. Currently battling the Los Angeles Sparks (19-21) for the eighth and final spot in the playoff race, the Fever (21-20) control their own destiny in the playoff race.
Two of the Fever’s final three opponents, the Chicago Sky and Washington Mystics, have been mathematically eliminated been from playoff contention.
The hard part is they’ll have to continue to do it without the help of Clark, Cunningham and McDonald.
