WNBA star Sophie Cunningham fined $500 for TikTok calling out referees
Indiana Fever’s Sophie Cunningham says the WNBA fined her $500 over a TikTok calling out “some refs,” sparking renewed criticism of officiating and how the league handles player expression.
In theTikTokvideo, Cunningham films herself in a hotel room mouthing along to Sabrina Carpenter’s “Manchild,” featuring the pointed lyrics: “Stupid, or is it slow? Maybe it’s useless.” She captioned the video, “@ some refs.”
The post, while clearly meant to be tongue-in-cheek,earned her a $500 fine– something which baffled the basketball star.
WNBA pro stunned by $500 fine for TikTok criticizing “some refs”
“I got fined $500 for this TikTok,” Cunningham wrote on X with laughing emojis. “[I don’t know] why this is funny to me…like ok you got it bud! Cause there’s not more important things to be worried about with our league right now.”
Her comment echoed growing frustration across the WNBA over officiating. Just weeks ago, Fever star Caitlin Clark had to be restrained after a heated moment with a referee, and Sky’sAngel Reesevented after a tough loss with multiple fouls, saying, “I am tired of this sh*t.”
I got fined $500 for this TikTok 🤣🤣 idk why this is funny to me… like ok 👍🏼 you got it bud! Cause there’s not more important things to be worried about with our league right nowpic.twitter.com/ELAlguHhMQ
Reese lateradded, “It has to be fixed,” pointing to foul disparities and a lack of consistency.
WNBACommissioner Cathy Engelbert addressed the growing noise during All-Star weekend, hinting that improvements may be on the way: “Obviously, consistency is important… it’s something we definitely look at and evaluate.”
For now, Cunningham’s $500 fine adds another layer to an already tense conversation around officiating and how far players can go in speaking out.
