Sophie Cunningham directly addressed the controversy surrounding head coach Stephanie White's response to a hard foul committed by Chicago Sky guard DiJonai Carrington.
Cunningham defended her coach, praised Carrington, and said the criticism surrounding the situation has come from outside Indiana's locker room. White faced significant backlash after explaining that she did not see Carrington's foul in real time. Some fans believed the Fever coach should have offered a stronger defense of Cunningham, leading to an uncomfortable scene before Indiana's 106-92 victory over the New York Liberty on Tuesday.
White was booed by members of the home crowd during pregame introductions. Cunningham, however, insisted that the reaction did not reflect how Fever players view their coach. In an interview, Cunningham explained that White did not intend to dismiss the play or her player's concerns.
"Our locker room in there, it's tight, and we have each other's backs," Cunningham said. "Coach loves us. She didn't see the clip." Cunningham also offered a respectful assessment of Carrington, one of the WNBA's most physical perimeter defenders. "And you know what, DiJonai is a hell of a player," Cunningham said. "She's a great defender, and [White] coached her for I don't know how many years up [with the Connecticut Sun], so give her her flowers. And she didn't see it, and that's okay."
Cunningham's comments suggest that the Fever players do not believe their coach was taking Carrington's side or failing to support them. Cunningham made her stance even clearer while addressing her relationship with White. "Me and Steph are great," Cunningham said. "Steph is great with all of us, and so it's really the outside noise that's trying to distract us. But we're good."
Those comments should help quiet speculation about possible tension within Indiana's locker room. Cunningham's decision to publicly defend White also carries significance because she was the player directly involved in the incident. The Fever guard did not minimize Carrington's foul, but she refused to allow the situation to grow into a larger controversy involving her coach.
Indiana responded to the distraction with one of its most balanced offensive performances of the season. Five Fever players reached double figures in the win over New York. Kelsey Mitchell led Indiana with 28 points, while Caitlin Clark recorded 22 points, 10 assists, and four rebounds. Aliyah Boston added 19 points, Monique Billings scored 14, and Cunningham finished with 12.
Cunningham was particularly effective from the perimeter, making four of her five 3-point attempts. She also contributed two rebounds and one blocked shot. The Fever's victory improved its record to 21-12 and strengthened its hold on fourth place in the WNBA standings.
Indiana's next test comes Friday at 7:30 p.m. ET against Paige Bueckers and the Dallas Wings. The Fever will enter that matchup focused on strengthening its playoff position. As far as Cunningham is concerned, the controversy surrounding White and Carrington will not interfere with that mission. The outside conversation may continue, but Cunningham left no uncertainty about the situation inside the Fever locker room.
Source: Yahoo Sports