Sophie Cunningham has become one of the WNBA’s most talked-about players, but her latest viral moment had nothing to do with a stat line or a controversial play. Instead, the Indiana Fever guard found herself celebrating with fans after another big victory for the team.
What happened next quickly caught the attention of the WNBA community, with supporters praising Cunningham for showing a more carefree side away from the court.
Sophie Cunningham Wins Over Fever Fans With Postgame Bar Singalong
Cunningham and the Fever were coming off a thrilling 98-87 win over Paige Bueckers and the Dallas Wings on Friday. Caitlin Clark led the way with 29 points and 10 assists as Indiana secured its 22nd win of the season, improving to 22-12 and moving ahead of the Atlanta Dream (21-12) for the coveted No. 4 spot in the standings.
The win set the stage for a memorable night away from the court.
After the game, Cunningham spent time with fans at a bar, joining in a singalong as supporters celebrated the hard-fought victory. The unexpected scene quickly made its way around social media and prompted plenty of reactions from the WNBA community.
“Sophie Cunningham is a National Treasure!” author Juanita Broaddrick wrote.
“My gosh, she is truly America’s Sweetheart. Just get better with each clip,” a retired U.S. Marine added.
“She’s going to get Taylor Swift levels of famous. She’s on fire,” a sports observer predicted.
“If Clark had her personality, she would be a billionaire by now,” an X user tweeted.
“It’s incomprehensible that the @WNBA does not promote her constantly and that the @IndianaFever did not give her a forever contract. What dopes,” American activist Maud Maron wrote.
However, not everyone was happy or impressed with Cunningham’s off-court interaction with fans.
“And again… tell me exactly what you are about without telling me exactly what you are about. “Just own who you are and stop talking about ‘loving everybody,’” former NBC Sports analyst Jason Page reacted.
Cunningham eventually climbed onto one of the bar tops and enthusiastically belted out parts of “Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue,” adding another memorable chapter to her increasingly public persona.
The moment also carried extra weight because Cunningham has spent much of the past month at the center of a divisive WNBA debate. She previously spoke openly about her belief that trans athletes should not compete in women’s sports, a position that has drawn both fierce criticism and strong support.
That controversy has made Cunningham a polarizing figure. But on Friday night, there was no basketball debate to settle. She was just a player celebrating with the people who had been cheering her and the Fever all night.
For Cunningham, that may be the biggest takeaway from the viral moment. Love her or criticize her, she continues to give WNBA fans something to talk about.
This time, it happened with a microphone, a table, and a bar full of Fever supporters.
This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network.