Indiana Fever’s Sophie Cunningham Just Reacted to Marina Mabrey’s Flagrant Foul Being Upgraded!

The WNBA’s ongoing storm of tension, drama, and physical play has taken another sharp turn—this time involving Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham, who has finally reacted to the league’s decision to upgrade Marina Mabrey’s foul on Caitlin Clark to a Flagrant 1.

After days of silence and growing fan outrage, the WNBA issued its ruling late Thursday, confirming that Mabrey’s hard foul—initially ruled a common personal foul during the Fever vs. Sky game—had been reviewed and elevated.

Now, Sophie Cunningham is speaking out—and she’s not holding back.

In a post-practice media scrum, Cunningham was asked if she thought the league made the right call. Her response?

“Honestly? It should’ve been a Flagrant 2 from the start.”

Reporters froze for a moment. The room fell quiet. Then came the flood of questions.

Cunningham, known for her fiery energy and blunt takes, didn’t shy away. “We all saw the same thing. Caitlin was shoved to the floor when the play was already over. That’s not physical defense—that’s a statement.”

Her comments quickly began trending online, with thousands of fans and analysts debating her stance. Many praised her for standing up for her teammate and calling out what they view as consistent targeting of Caitlin Clark.

“She’s not crying foul—she’s calling for fairness,” one user tweeted. “Cunningham said what the whole Fever locker room probably wanted to say.”

Caitlin Clark herself has remained publicly calm about the incident, brushing it off as “part of the game.” But Cunningham’s response suggests the Fever are growing increasingly frustrated with what they see as unchecked aggression from opposing teams.

“I’ve been in this league long enough to know the difference between hard play and something more,” Cunningham continued. “What happened wasn’t basketball. And if we don’t speak up, it’s just going to keep happening.”

The play in question occurred in the third quarter, when Clark attempted to run off a screen, only to be blindsided by Mabrey, who extended her forearm and knocked her off balance. The officials called a personal foul, but after days of review—and public outcry—the WNBA decided to upgrade the call retroactively.

Chicago Sky has not officially commented on the league’s decision. Mabrey has also remained silent on social media, though sources say she was “surprised” by the upgrade.

Meanwhile, Indiana Fever’s coaching staff is backing Cunningham’s comments. Head coach Christy Sides said during a post-practice press conference, “Sophie’s got every right to say what she said. She’s protecting her teammate, and I respect that.”

Sides also praised the league for stepping in—albeit later than expected.

“I’m glad the WNBA took a second look. It sends a message: we’re watching, and we care about player safety.”

Still, tensions remain high.

The Fever and Sky are set to face each other again in just a few weeks, and fans are already circling the date. With emotions boiling and a growing rivalry forming between the two teams, it’s shaping up to be one of the season’s most anticipated rematches.

Cunningham ended her statement with a final message that many are calling “the line of the week.”

“We’re not here to start fights,” she said. “But we’re not here to take hits in silence either.”

The WNBA may have settled the matter on paper, but on the court—this drama is far from over.