Updated
Updated · Fox News · Jun 30
Sophie Cunningham Blasts Phoenix Mercury as 'Unfriendly Group' After 1-Game Thomas Suspension
Updated
Updated · Fox News · Jun 30

Sophie Cunningham Blasts Phoenix Mercury as 'Unfriendly Group' After 1-Game Thomas Suspension

3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Jun 30

Summary

  • Sophie Cunningham said on her podcast that "no one" likes the Phoenix Mercury this year, calling her former team "the unfriendliest group" after the Caitlin Clark foul controversy.
  • Alyssa Thomas drew a one-game suspension after the WNBA reviewed an uncalled loose-ball play, upgraded it to a Flagrant 2 and punished the hit on Clark's throat.
  • Phoenix inflamed the backlash with a since-deleted social media post mocking the incident, reinforcing Cunningham's defense of Clark and criticism of the Mercury.
  • Meaghan L. Hall of USA TODAY called Cunningham's remarks "wildly unprofessional," adding that no player should speak that way about any organization.
  • The dispute adds heat before the Fever and Mercury meet again on July 9, though Clark's availability remains uncertain because of a lingering back issue.

Insights

Does the intense focus on Caitlin Clark reveal a deeper cultural clash between WNBA veterans and the league's new superstar?
With Clark's status uncertain for the rematch, how will the league manage this explosive and controversial team rivalry?