Sophie Cunningham made headlines recently, unfortunately due to a severe knee injury that has sidelined her for the remainder of the season. Now in the middle of her recovery process, the Indiana Fever star found herself in a heated exchange with sports commentator Skip Bayless — a clash that has stirred up plenty of buzz in recent hours.

It’s well known that Cunningham is a very active social media user, often sharing moments from her daily life as well as behind-the-scenes glimpses with her team — whether during games, practices, or team activities.

These behaviors caught the attention of Bayless, who, through his official X account (formerly Twitter), implied that the player is a “clout chaser” because of this kind of activity.

“Sophie Cunningham is a shrewd operator,” he posted via @RealSkipBayless. “She can really play the game within the game — the social media game, the get-famous game.”

Cunningham’s firm response

True to her style, Cunningham didn’t turn a deaf ear to Bayless’s comments. In a recent episode of the Show Me Something podcast, she offered a clear and direct response to the journalist’s remarks.

“Skip, who’s the clout chaser? You’re literally using my name as a headline so people click on it,” the Fever star firmly stated.

“I don’t mind the guy! I have no beef with you, I’ve never met you. I’ve actually really never listened to ya. Someone sent it to me and i was like: What is this? He’s calling me a clout chaser. Dude you’re the one who has my name plastered all over your freaking YouTube that had 36 views. Like get out of here.”

A long-term injury

The Indiana Fever have suffered a major blow to their playoff hopes with the season-ending injury to Sophie Cunningham. The star guard tore the MCL in her right knee after a collision with Connecticut Sun guard Bria Hartley.

Cunningham’s leg was twisted awkwardly on the play, and she had to be helped off the court. She is not expected to return until the 2026 season, leaving the Fever to navigate their final games without a key contributor and creating a significant void in their rotation as they fight for a playoff spot.