Sheryl Swoopes Shreds Fever Star Sophie Cunningham for 'Dirty Play' vs Sun

WNBA legend Sheryl Swoopes did not like what Sophie Cunningham did to Jacy Sheldon on June 17.

Jul 19, 2024; Phoenix, Ariz., United States; Sheryl Swoopes hosts a WBNA All-Star brunch in honor of her former teammate, Nikki McCray Penson, at Thea in Phoenix on July 19, 2024 | Diannie Chavez/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK

The basketball world is still buzzing about the extracurricular physical play that occurred during the Indiana Fever's June 17 game against the Connecticut Sun, despite it having taken place a week ago.

Perhaps the most polarizing activity to come from this game was when Fever star Sophie Cunningham threw Sun guard Jacy Sheldon to the ground in the fourth quarter, which was seemingly a retaliation for Sheldon poking Caitlin Clark in the eye one quarter prior.

SOPHIE SAID AINT SHIT SWEET pic.twitter.com/vo9Mq2MFN3

— correlation (@nosyone4) June 18, 2025

Some have praised Cunningham for sticking up for her star player in this way. At the same time, others have been critical of her taking her "enforcer" role too seriously and potentially putting Sheldon at risk of injury.

WNBA legend Sheryl Swoopes took the latter stance during a June 24 episode of The Women's Hoops Show.

"I am not making any excuses for Sophie's foul at the end on Jacy, at all. I do agree that she did that because the refs were allowing that to happen the entire game. But... that last play, Sophie, she didn't go for the ball at all. At all... What are you doing?" Swoopes said.

"And so when I say there's a difference between being physical and being dirty, that to me was a dirty play. That wasn't a physical play, it was a dirty play. You grabbed her around her neck and you took her down," Swoopes added.

"And people will say, 'That's why they brought Sophie [to Indiana]. They brought Sophie to be the enforcer.' Well, what was she enforcing in that moment? I don't know."

It will be interesting to see how Fever fans respond to Swoopes' sentiment.