Indiana Fever reserve guard Sophie Cunningham has become one of the most controversial figures in the WNBA. Cunningham is having a career year from the three-point line, but the vast majority of the discourse surrounding her has focused on comments she made in a July 21 ESPN profile.
“I got a lot of negative feedback about me hating trans. And I’m like, ‘I never once said that,'” she said in the profile. “I think that I am here to extend love. But I also think with that love is truth, being honest. And I want to protect young girls in a locker room, or young girls in sport who shouldn’t have to go against biological men.”
Many around the league, including several head coaches and even her own, Stephanie White, spoke about embracing inclusivity for all people after the comments sparked intense debate. Some fans became staunch supporters of Cunningham’s in the aftermath of the controversy, while others have become some of her biggest haters.
She found a lot of the latter when the Fever visited Canada to face the Toronto Tempo in front of a sold out crowd at Scotiabank Arena, where they rained boos down on her after she entered the game.
Sophie Cunningham getting boo’d in Toronto 😭 pic.twitter.com/Q1RrecL00H
— Shabazz 💫 (@ShowCaseShabazz) August 18, 2026
After the game, Cunningham discussed the boos gracefully in her press conference.
“I want to shout out the Tempo crowd and the city,” Cunningham said. “We’ve had so much. It’s my first time being in Canada. It’s a lot of our first times being in Canada, but the crowd was absolutely amazing. I think that’s what sports is all about. You’re going to get boos, and you’re going to get cheers, but just the fact that they’re so passionate and they’re loud and they’re putting on for the city, I think it’s absolutely amazing.”
Sophie Cunningham on getting boos tonight in Toronto:
“The crowd was absolutely amazing. I think that’s what sports is all about. You’re going to get boos and you’re going to get cheers.” pic.twitter.com/m2KwevjtGi
— Libaan Osman (@libaanstar1) August 19, 2026
It’s a good thing Cunningham can handle the boos, because they’re unlikely to stop anytime soon.
About Qwame Skinner
Qwame Skinner has loved both writing and sports his entire life. In addition to his sports coverage at Comeback Media, Qwame writes novels, and his debut; The First Casualty, an adult fantasy, is out now.