Gone are the days when drama was limited to men and the NBA league. These days, even women from the WNBA league show real aggression on the court. Earlier in June, Sophie Cunningham went viral for her physical brawl with former Connecticut Sun star Jacy Sheldon, who recently joined the Washington Mystics.
This act came after a shoving match between Sheldon and Cunningham’s Indiana Fever teammate, Caitlin Clark. Eventually, both former stars were ejected from the game.
Recalling the exact moment, Phoenix Mercury Coach Nate Tibbetts also shared his response, which is certainly winning hearts.
Phoenix Coach Sides With Sophie Cunningham’s Act To Defend Caitlin Clark
Those who follow the WNBA closely know that before Cunningham joined the Indiana Fever, she was an integral part of the Phoenix Mercury since the league’s inception. However, earlier this year, she came to Fever in a blockbuster trade involving four teams.
This certainly connects the dots on why Nate Tibbetts’ thoughts on Sophie Cunningham’s actions matter. During a press conference of the Fever-Mercury game, Tibbetts opened up on his team’s former shooting guard,
“I mean, Soph’s got a toughness to her, which I mean, I think when you come in this league from, you know, again, I’m learning this league is a second-round pick, you got to have some toughness and grit, and you know she’s embraced that role, and that’s worked for them. And I give Sophie credit because she competes at a high level.”
Phoenix Mercury head coach Nate Tibbetts on Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham getting recognition for defending Caitlin Clark on the court this season. pic.twitter.com/skSzvctW3B
— Jenna Ortiz (@jennarortiz) August 8, 2025
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Phoenix Mercury Coach’s comment certainly reflects the kind of relationship they had previously. It also shows the amount of respect that Nate Tibbetts has for a veteran like Cunningham.
What Exactly Happened In Fever-Sun Game That Prompted Sophie Cunningham To Turn Caitlin Clark’s Enforcer?
Earlier, on June 17, the world saw a different side of Cunningham after she went viral for defending Clark. What exactly happened was that during the third quarter of the Fever vs. Sun game, Sheldon intentionally poked Clark in her eye, which was followed by a shoving match between them.
This was eventually followed by another Connecticut Sun veteran, Marina Mabrey, knocking down Caitlin Clark on the ground. Seeing this, Sophie Cunningham certainly couldn’t control herself anymore. The aftermath saw her grab Jacy Sheldon and finally get ejected from the game by the referee.
Although Cunningham ended her outing with 22 points, it still didn’t go in vain as the Indiana Fever defeated the Connecticut Sun. Moreover, standing up for Caitlin Clark may have gotten her off the field and some criticism, but she earned the respect of everyone following the WNBA.