The first round of the WNBA playoffs is wrapped up, with only four teams left. After the Indiana Fever were eliminated, guard Sophie Cunningham reflected on the Las Vegas Aces series on her No Hesitation podcast with Drew Hanlen and gave an anticipated response to A’ja Wilson’s Game 2 fan altercation.
During Game 2 of the Indiana Fever vs. the Las Vegas Aces, star center A’ja Wilson got into a heated dispute with a Fever fan that earned her a technical foul, while WNBA spectators believed she should have been penalized further.
Cunningham weighs in on the confrontation and provides her own unapologetic take on Wilson and the Aces.
“Us women in sports… Yell from the rooftops that we want equality. We want to be treated like the men, and we want all this stuff, and we deserve all these things,” Cunningham said.
“If you’re asking for all these fans to come and you have new fans who are real sports fans and they come and do something that a sports fan would probably do if you’re on the opposing team, we’re going to go for them for just pointing and saying that you fouled? Like, grow up. What are we doing? We ask all these things, and then once people come out and support us, we get mad, and it’s inappropriate, and then us athletes need to be treated better, and these fans need to be more supportive and not say anything negative.”
Cunningham goes further and offered what she felt should have happened to the Aces’ center, even comparing her to NBA superstar LeBron James.
“That could have caused for suspension, but you know she’s like the LeBron James of our league, and of course they’re not going to suspend her, so I’m not going to get into that,” Cunningham added.
“She should have been, you know, something should have happened there. The two people that came off the bench onto the court, that should have happened. So I definitely think there’s a double standard…But I think for someone pointing and saying that the foul was on you, like, grow up; I’m over it.”
Despite the controversy, the Aces have advanced to the semifinals of the WNBA playoffs, as Wilson is set to match up against Gabby Williams and the Golden State Valkyries’ defensive prowess.
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