Caitlin Clark may be out of action on the court, but she can still find herself under the bright lights of WNBA controversies. The most recent one comes from a February discussion (now revealed) Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier had with WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert. In her candid exit interview on September 30, Collier alleged that Engelbert told her that Clark should be “grateful” for the $16 million she earns off the court, attributing her financial success solely to the platform the WNBA provides. So, of course, as one of Clark’s fiercest supporters, Sophie Cunningham, wasn’t going to stay quiet at that.

Cunningham took it to the comment section of a post and responded to the alleged Engelbert quote. “People only know Cathy because of C…. She’s the most delusional leader our league has seen,” she penned before a follow-up: “AND IT SHOULDN’T EVER BE ABOUT OUR COMMISSIONER IN THE FIRST PLACE.”

And yes, she’s got a point here. A large portion of W’s fanbase got to know Cathy for the first time when she handed over CC Indiana Fever’s jersey at the 2024 draft. Clark’s jersey sold out in less than an hour on draft day, as the number 22 became the top-earning jersey ever for a draft pick. And, again, Engelbert’s involvement had nothing to do with it.

Since then, the Indiana Fever superstar has been driving the league crazy. Just consider that in one month, the league saw a 94% increase in people making it to arenas. From viewership to TV ratings and economic growth, W saw unprecedented growth. ESPN reported that Clark’s WNBA debut against the Connecticut Sun drew 2.1 million viewers, making it the most-watched WNBA game on ESPN platforms in over two decades. Later, her matchup with Angel Reese’s Chicago Sky averaged 2.3 million viewers, setting another regular-season record. And while this surge gave the league a sudden boost, Clark was no stranger to creating that kind of effect.

Before transitioning to W, she was already voted “most popular player in college basketball this season” by a Seton Hall poll of 1,519 respondents. According to USA Today, she was correctly identified as an NCAA athlete by nearly half the population—47% in the poll. Her NCAA championship game against LSU in 2023 averaged 9.9 million viewers on ABC, peaking at 12.6 million, the most-watched women’s college basketball game ever broadcast. So yes, when Sophie said, “people know Cathy because of C,” it made sense.

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But is this really the first time we’ve seen Cathy at odds with players? Even during the WNBA All-Star Weekend in Indianapolis this July, players wore “Pay us what you owe us” T-shirts before the game, and fans inside Gainbridge Arena erupted in chants of “Pay them! Pay them!” after the final whistle. That protest stemmed from long-running frustrations about revenue sharing and collective bargaining, with players pointing out that they receive only about 50% of league revenue compared to the NBA’s 50-50 split.

But this time, it’s huge. As Lexie Hull said, “It’s a really big time,” before adding, “It’s exciting to see players speak out and speak up about what’s going on in our league, and where our league can go, and the changes that need to be made. I know you’re talking about Phee’s interview, and I think when it comes down to it, I think I agree with everything she said.”

Well, everyone is rallying behind Collier, and even hashtags like #FireCathyEnglebert have begun to trend. Stephanie White, Angel Reese, Natasha Cloud, and nearly every other player have added their voices to Phee. And it isn’t just them—CC’s fan group has risen to the cause. As Dave Portnoy commented, “I continue to be astounded by how dumb @CathyEngelbert+ the @WNBA is. It’s like her life goal is to alienate Caitlin and her fans. It’s insanity. Caitlin could start a new league tomorrow and put Cathy out of business. They won’t be happy till they kill the golden goose.”

But for Sophie, all this is quite personal.

For Sophie Cunningham, joining the Indy wasn’t just about hoops. It was also about building a bond that goes far beyond the court, and if there’s one person who’s felt that the most, it’s Caitlin Clark. The two have grown into more than teammates, and Sophie has ensured everyone sees it.

That loyalty first flashed on June 17th against the Connecticut Sun. After Clark took an eye poke from Jacy Sheldon and was shoved to the floor by Marina Mabrey, Sophie made her stance loud and clear. In the closing seconds, while defending Sheldon on a layup attempt, she wrapped Jacy by the neck, a moment that instantly earned her the tag of CC’s “guarding angel.”

And it hasn’t stopped there. On the debut episode of her podcast Show Me Something, Sophie doubled down on her support, firing back at anyone questioning Clark’s impact on the league. “When people try to argue that she’s not the face of our league or that we’d be where we’re at without her, you’re dumb as s—. You’re literally dumb as f—,” she said, leaving no room for doubt about where her loyalty lies.

Even when CC was slapped with a $200 fine for her fiery postgame remarks, “Elite bench mob” and “Refs couldn’t stop us” after Game 1 of the playoffs, Sophie found a way to lighten the mood. To her 272,000 followers, she joked on X, “Got fined $200 for this lol😂😂😂😂😂 BENCH MOB WILL BE EVEN MORE ROWDY TOMORROW LETS GOO!!!!!!!!!!!!! @IndianaFever… That’s gonna really break the bank for her. Starting a GoFundMe now!”

So while the league waits for Clark’s own take on the ongoing controversies, likely to come during her exit interview after the Finals, Sophie has already spoken volumes.