Sophie Cunningham Fined for Calling Out WNBA Referees

Indiana Fever’s Sophie Cunningham, a well-known guard, recently experienced a dip in her finances following a controversial video she posted on the internet. In the aftermath of her social media actions, the WNBA imposed a $500 fine on Cunningham. The video in question features Cunningham expressing her dissatisfaction with the league’s referees, a topic that has seeped into the spotlight within the league. Using phrases from a recent song by Sabrina Carpenter titled ‘Manchild’, her comment in the video carried an evident sarcastic tone, invoking a substantial reaction on TikTok with its views numbering over 1.3 million.

The 28-year-old Cunningham didn’t express much remorse for her actions, rather, she found the situation somewhat amusing. ‘Not sure why I find this humorous,’ she mused on social media, further questioning the league’s priorities at the moment. However, Cunningham’s frustration isn’t unique in the WNBA universe this season. Several other players and coaches have also voiced their displeasure about the perceived inconsistency of referee calls and the increasing levels of roughness in games.

An incident of such discontentment became public after Indiana Fever suffered a 90-88 defeat to the New York Liberty in late May. In the aftermath, head coach Stephanie White expressed her discontent about the ‘disheartening’ referee decisions, implying bias in their calls. White subsequently faced an undisclosed fine, confirmed when she was queried regarding the referee’s performance again, jokingly warning, ‘Do you want me fined a second time? I’ve just paid a fine.’

Echoing similar sentiments was Angel Reese, in the wake of the Chicago Sky’s 80-75 loss to the Minnesota Lynx in July. Reese voiced her disapproval of the officiating, adamantly stating the requirement of a ‘solution’ before she’s slapped with a fine. Unabated, Reese carried her protest online, reposting an image of herself tangled in a basketball play with an appeal directed to the authorities, pressing the WNBA to ‘IMPROVE’.

Becky Hammon, head coach of the Las Vegas Aces, didn’t shy away from expressing her disdain either, following her team’s narrow 70-68 defeat to the Washington Mystics in the same month. Going on record, Hammon declared the referee decisions to be ‘subpar’. Post the heated press meeting, she expressed her readiness to pay any fine she might incur for her criticisms.

Natalie Nakase, the head coach of Golden State Valkyries, joined in the growing chorus of criticism following a one-point loss to Phoenix Mercury when a game-changing call was made at the crucial last seconds of the tie. Nakase stated that she was essentially ‘pleading for consistency’ in referee decisions. It remains unknown whether the trio of Reese, Hammon, and Nakase faced any consequences for their openly critical comments.

The WNBA, contrary to the NBA, does not make the fines and disciplinary actions taken against players or their respective amounts public information. This makes it challenging to ascertain the number of fines and the precise sums dealt against players for various offenses.

In response to the wave of criticisms, Cathy Engelbert, the WNBA commissioner, addressed the officiating issues preceding the 2025 WNBA All-Star Game. Engelbert gave assurances that the league takes the grievances seriously and will undertake a comprehensive appraisal of officiating. ‘We value your concerns greatly. We acknowledge and incorporate your feedback. Every action is under scrutiny and we devote serious amounts of time over this,’ she elaborated.

The commissioner further emphasised the importance of maintaining consistency within the games, acknowledging this as a key distinguishing factor when comparing their games with other basketball leagues. Engelbert admitted that fewer fouls are called in their games, and she recognises that ‘repeatability is the name of the game’.

Engelbert also made it clear that the referees are evaluated independently, rendering them accountable for their actions. She also alluded to penalties, perhaps a precursor to substantial changes. ‘This is an ongoing task that we must strive to continue improving,’ she concluded.