Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham says she was fined by the WNBA a second time for making negative comments about the league’s referees.
Cunningham, speaking earlier this week on her podcast, “Show Me Something,” said she was fined $1,500 for comments she'd made the previous week.
On the debut episode of her podcast July 28, Cunningham said the refs are “just so inconsistent.”
“If I was a ref, I know I would mess up all the time. Like, I’m not saying that your job is easy, but when it is a simple call in front of your face multiple times, what are you doing? What are you doing?” she said.
Cunningham said she found out about the second fine when Fever general manager Amber Cox pulled her aside and told her the league contacted her.
“I think players across the league, and new fans across the country, are like, ‘What is going on with the refs?’ And I’m like, ‘I don’t know,’” she said on the July 28 episode before an expletive dismissal of the impact of ”$500" fines.
Cunningham was fined that amount for a TikTok posted July 18 where she lip synced to the lyrics, “Stupid. Or is it, slow? Or maybe, useless?” from Sabrina Carpenter’s song “Manchild” with the words “@ some refs” written on the video.
AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/wnba
Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham dribbles up court against the Dallas Wings during the first half of a WNBA basketball game Friday, Aug. 1, 2025, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — Morez Johnson Jr. scored a career-high 29 points, including 17 in the first half, and No. 2 Michigan beat No. 24 Southern California 96-66 on Friday night.
Roddy Gayle Jr. added 12 points for the Wolverines (13-0, 3-0 Big Ten), and Will Tschetter, Trey McKenney and L.J. Cason each scored 10.
Michigan is off to its best start since it won 17 straight games to start the 2018-19 season.
Jaden Brownell scored 16 points and Erza Ausar added 15 for the Trojans (12-2, 1-2), whose only previous loss was by eight points against Washington on Dec. 6. Chad Baker-Mazara, who came into the game averaging 21 points, was hampered by early foul trouble and finished with 12 points on 3-of-11 shooting.
Michigan starting guard Nimari Burnett was helped from the court with 16:25 left after falling during a battle under the basket. He went down to the floor and appeared to be bleeding above his eyebrow and holding his ankle. He sat on the bench the rest of the night.
The Wolverines bolted out to an 11-0 lead thanks to a defense that forced six early turnovers. USC got within five points twice in the first half and Michigan responded with a 32-19 run to build a 49-31 halftime advantage.
USC got no closer the rest of the way.
USC: At No. 9 Michigan State on Monday.
Michigan: Visits Penn State on Tuesday.
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Michigan center Aday Mara, front, drives against Southern California center Gabe Dynes, back, during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game, Friday, Jan. 2, 2026, in Ann Arbor, Mich. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
