On Thursday night, Caitlin Clark’s 18 points weren’t enough to lead the Indiana Fever to the second round of this season’s WNBA playoffs. It also wasn’t enough to overcome the bulletin board material that Sophie Cunningham provided A’ja Wilson and the Fever prior to the decisive Game 3 playoff matchup.
Sometimes winning a championship is about luck of the draw, and the Fever got the worst possible matchup in the No. 3 seed Las Vegas Aces. The defending champions and A’ja Wilson – who is about to bag her fifth MVP – eliminated the Fever from the WNBA Playoffs for the second straight season.
Sophie Cunningham’s TikTok Provides Unneccesary Extra Motivation For Aces
Sophie Cunningham rose to WNBA fame after being anointed Clark’s enforcer and riding a MAGA wave of WNBA dissension to newfound popularity and riches. She leaned into her new fan base, causing drama on her podcast and sparking a social media debate about transgenders in sports that elevated to the level of a clown show. With all of her fame and popularity, Cunningham’s actual performance on the court and contributions to the team continued to decline as the season progressed.
For $600K per season, Cunningham was expected to contribute more to this playoff run. Instead she averaged just 5.8 points, 2.2 rebounds and was a non-factor in the three-game series.
Fans from all over the WNBA community didn’t hesitate to call Cunningham out for being more sizzle than substance.
“wanna point so much, point her ass to the door,” captioned one fan above a photo of Cunningham’s unimpressive Game 3 statline of five points and one rebound.
“Stop it,” one fan replied to those accusing referees of conspiring against the Fever. “cc was 6-18, Sophie had 5 points and the!! Y’all was just ass.”
In addition to her poor play, Cunningham gave the Aces and A’ja Wilson unneeded bulletin board material and incentive to win by making an indirect joke about Wilson on TikTok one day after Wilson drew a technical foul for leaving the court to scream at a male fan during Game 2 of the WNBA playoffs.
“Not trying to be dramatic at all, like seriously,” Cunningham, 30, said in her video, while grinning. “I was just here having my morning coffee and what a damn comeback year for the ‘point.’ Who would have ever thought? Just who would have ever thought?”
Cunningham’s point reference is tied to her legendary finger point against the Aces earlier in the season that added layers of drama to some hotly contested regular-season games. In the video she’s also referring to the fan who got up and pointed at Wilson and said “that’s on you,” after she got entangled with Cunningham, who ended up on the floor pleading for a foul to be called in her favor.
Cunningham famously became a meme earlier in the season on June 27, 2026, for a separate, 22-second finger-pointing standoff with Phoenix Mercury player DeWanna Bonner. Following the Sept. 29 incident, Cunningham posted a viral TikTok video jokingly celebrating “the comeback year for the point.”
After a shaky performance in Game 2 and a confrontation with a fan that garnered her backlash across the sports landscape, Wilson scored 36 points and pulled 10 boards with high energy in the clincher. Fellow veterans Chelsea Gray (23 points) and Jackie Young (18 points) also brought their best to the crucial contest.
With the win, the Aces advance to the WNBA semifinal for the 8th straight season.
Fans Blame Cunningham, Referees For Game 3 Loss To Fever
Fans acknowledged how Cunningham did her team a disservice with the social media taunting. Especially considering her poor performance and defensive mishaps during this series.
“Cunningham offered nothing to this series but getting A’ja Wilson Mad,” one fan noted.
“If she brought her game, not Tiki Tok jokes Fever woulda won,” a netizen suggested.
Cunningham fans refused to place blame on her, and continued to follow the common narratives that surround any Indiana Fever loss.
“Aja Wilson Never should’ve been in the game. Players cannot go into the crowd and confront fans. Should’ve been ejected in that game and she was not. Should’ve been suspended and fined. She was not,” said a Fever fan who wanted Wilson suspended after Game 2.
“Helps when the refs are in your pocket because they all hate the fever,” one user commented.
Indiana’s quest for its first championship since 2012 continues. The rabid Fever fans have been licking their wounds and lashing out ever since the 94-83 elimination Game 3 loss on Thursday night. Searching for answers and excuses as to why Mitchell and Clark seemed to lack the chemistry that made them the highest-scoring backcourt in WNBA history.
“Worst officiated game of basketball ever. This joke of a league keeps on with this comedy,” one disgruntled fan commented.
“The refs got paid by the Aces to make sure they go to the Conference Finals 8 years straight,” expressed one fan on X.
Some fans basked in the glory of seeing Fever fans meltdown in live time.
“A lot of butt hurt Caitlin Clark and Sophie Cunningham fans are crying FOUL. No pun intended. Lol too funny,” tweeted one netizen.
“Cancun on 3….3, 2, 1!!! Bye bye!!” said a fan wishing the Fever a great offseason.
“You know the deal when the Fever loses a game,” a fan exclaimed. “it’s time to play the Fever theme songs!
1) Clark Nation Conspiracy Files
2) LESBIAN-MAFIA
3) The Refs Cheated.”
Clark had high hopes for this 2026 season after missing most of the 2025 season and the playoffs with lower body injuries. Her team shook the WNBA world and advanced to the semifinals without her. She came back with a vengeance this season, averaging 22.3 points, 8.3 assists and 4 rebounds per game, leading the most explosive offense in WNBA history to a sixth seed in the playoffs. It was championship goals from the beginning. Maybe next season.
