{"id":77935,"date":"2025-08-18T04:57:18","date_gmt":"2025-08-18T04:57:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/77935\/"},"modified":"2025-08-18T04:57:18","modified_gmt":"2025-08-18T04:57:18","slug":"sophie-cunninghams-sister-slams-wnba-refs-after-fever-stars-injury","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/77935\/","title":{"rendered":"Sophie Cunningham’s sister slams WNBA refs after Fever star’s injury"},"content":{"rendered":"

Sophie Cunningham\u2019s mom and sister seem to have as many issues with the WNBA officiating as the Fever star does, especially after Cunningham suffered a knee injury<\/a> in Sunday\u2019s overtime win over the Sun.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Cunningham sustained the injury after Sun guard Bria Hartley tumbled into her under the basket, and the incident left the Fever forward agonizing in pain before she was helped off the court.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"IndianaFever coach Stephanie White did not have an update on Cunningham for reporters after the Indiana win, which has also been without Clark due to an injury, and said her reaction to the injury was, \u201choly s\u2013t.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cEspecially the way that she fell and how she was holding herself and how much pain she was in, at the time it\u2019s like, \u2018crap,\u2019\u201d she said. David Butler II-Imagn Images<\/p>\n

The injury garnered plenty of reaction, including from Cunningham\u2019s own family, with her sister, Lindsey, and her mom, Paula, taking to social media to call out the WNBA officiating and Hartley.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201c@WNBA maybe you should focus less on fining players for commenting on your poor officiating & more about hiring officials that are able to call a consistent game and protect your athletes. Pathetic. Praying for you . @sophaller,\u201d Lindsey wrote on X.<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n

Prayers up for Sophie Cunningham. Sophie\u2019s sister Lindsey and mom Paula are calling out the league for fining players for calling out poor officiating instead of protecting players, and for Bria Hartley\u2019s history as an out of control player. They won\u2019t delete these tweets either. pic.twitter.com\/q356U3htGz<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 CaitlinFor3 (@CaitlinForThree) August 17, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n

The comment was referring to Cunningham\u2019s recent fines from the league for her own criticisms of the WNBA\u2019s officiating during episodes of her podcast.\u00a0<\/p>\n

WNBA officiating has been a hot-button issue due to the feelings of fans \u2014 particularly those of the Fever and star guard Caitlin Clark \u2014 about the way games are being called.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Paula, who later deleted her post, directed her displeasure at the player who had injured Cunningham.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cHartley is a disgruntled player having trouble everywhere she goes; she\u2019s plain mean and plays out of control,\u201d Paula wrote.<\/p>\n

It wasn\u2019t immediately clear what Paula was referencing in her post, but Hartley had been ejected from the Sun\u2019s previous game and had been involved in an incident where she pulled Angel Reese\u2019s hair.<\/p>\n

\"IndianaIndiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham (8) on the court injured as they take on the Connecticut Sun in the first half at Mohegan Sun Arena. David Butler II-Imagn Images<\/p>\n

Fever coach Stephanie White did not have an immediate update on Cunningham for reporters after the Indiana win, which has also been without Clark due to an injury<\/a>, and she said her reaction to the injury was, \u201cHoly s\u2013t.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cEspecially the way that she fell and how she was holding herself and how much pain she was in, at the time it\u2019s like, \u2018crap,\u2019\u201d White said.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t