“She Didn’t Need to Be Seen to Be Valued”: How Caitlin Clark Helped Sophie Cunningham Heal, Quietly
For months, fans of the Phoenix Mercury noticed a quiet transformation unfolding—less skin, more soul. Sophie Cunningham, once known for her confident, camera-ready appearance and bold game-day outfits, began showing up in oversized hoodies, minimal makeup, and a demeanor that seemed… softer. Happier. Changed.
No press release explained it. No cryptic Instagram captions hinted at it. But those close to the team knew: Caitlin Clark had something to do with it.
And not in the headline-grabbing, record-breaking, logo-three kind of way Caitlin is known for. This was different—more human, more intimate. This was the kind of story rarely told in stat sheets or post-game pressers.
The Subtle Descent: A Player on the Edge
Last season, Sophie Cunningham was struggling—though few knew the full extent.
After the Mercury reshuffled their roster and brought in several high-profile talents, Cunningham, once a key starter, began to see her role shrink. Her minutes dropped. Her touches evaporated. And, in the quiet loneliness that professional athletes often endure behind the scenes, she started to question her own worth.
“She wasn’t herself,” said a team source who requested anonymity. “She smiled, she showed up, but deep down… she didn’t feel seen.”
That’s when the shift began—a reliance on external validation. Bolder makeup. More daring outfits. A louder presence in media. Some teammates thought she was simply owning her brand. But those who paid closer attention saw it for what it was: a subtle cry for recognition.
And Caitlin Clark noticed everything.
The First Act of Care: Rebuilding Confidence
During a routine practice in early February, Caitlin approached Sophie during drills.
“She just started helping her—small things,” said assistant coach Talia Grant. “A defensive rotation here, a pick-and-roll read there. But you could tell it wasn’t about basketball. It was Caitlin saying: I see you.”
Then came the private moment that changed everything.
Caitlin went directly to the coaching staff and advocated for Sophie to get more minutes in an upcoming game. Not as a favor. Not as charity. But because, in Caitlin’s words, “She’s better than she thinks she is. She just forgot for a moment.”
That game, Sophie started. She played loose, confident, radiant. And afterward, when asked what changed, she simply said, “Someone reminded me why I love this game.”
The Second Moment: Showing Up When It Mattered
Weeks later, during a crucial game that could impact playoff seeding, Sophie found herself starting again—this time under heavy pressure. The stakes were high, the stadium electric, and nerves crept back in.
Caitlin, dealing with a minor injury, wasn’t expected to be on the bench.
But ten minutes before tip-off, she walked in—limping, but present.
“She didn’t come for attention,” said another team source. “She sat quietly on the bench, whispered to Sophie during breaks, kept her calm.”
At halftime, Sophie was shaken from a rough first quarter. Caitlin sat beside her, placed a hand gently on her arm, and said something no cameras picked up. When Sophie returned to the floor, her posture changed.
“She played like she remembered who she was,” said Coach Carla Reynolds.
The Final Gesture: Quiet Respect Over Loud Judgment
For years, Sophie’s bold appearance was often misunderstood—by media, by fans, even by some teammates. But not by Caitlin.
“She never mocked her. Never rolled her eyes. Never treated her style or personality like it was something to fix,” said a locker room insider.
Instead, Caitlin leaned in with quiet respect. She asked Sophie questions. She listened. She never assumed that how Sophie dressed had anything to do with how she played—until Sophie herself admitted it.
“I was dressing up because I didn’t feel like enough,” Sophie later confided to a close friend. “But Caitlin showed me that I already was.”
The Power of Being Seen
The story of Caitlin Clark and Sophie Cunningham isn’t about stats. It’s not about points or playoff wins.
It’s about something rarer in the hyper-competitive world of professional sports: gentle, unnoticed care.
In a world that rewards noise, Caitlin’s approach was quiet. Deliberate. She didn’t tweet about it. She didn’t try to fix Sophie’s issues in some dramatic intervention. She simply offered presence, patience, and respect—three things that don’t show up in the box score but can change a life.
And for Sophie Cunningham, they did.
The Aftermath: A New Kind of Confidence
Today, Sophie is still evolving. But the signs are everywhere. Less performative flash, more internal calm. Less need to be seen, more belief in being known.
“She walks into the locker room different now,” said one teammate. “Not quieter. Just… lighter.”
And while Caitlin would never take credit—she’d likely brush it off with a shrug or a joke—the truth is clear to those who watched it unfold.
She didn’t just bring Sophie back into the game. She brought her back to herself.
Conclusion: What the League Doesn’t See—But Should
As the WNBA continues to grow, stories like this are often left behind in favor of big-market rivalries or MVP debates. But if the league wants to understand its true strength, it should look at the moments between the buzzer and the bench. That’s where culture is built. That’s where healing happens.
Caitlin Clark helped win games. But she also did something arguably more impactful—she gave a teammate the quiet space to stop performing and start believing.
In the end, that’s not just good friendship. That’s leadership.
SEE MORE: Sophie Cunningham vindicated after facing petition to be banned from WNBA
Las Vegas Aces head coach Becky Hammon has spoken on Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham defending Caitlin Clark with a hard foul in retaliation against the Connecticut Sun last week
Sophie Cunningham’s jersey has sold out after she defended Caitlin Clark last week
Sophie Cunningham was the subject of a petition calling for her to be ‘banned’ from the WNBA after she hard fouled an opponent last week, but a rival head coach has defended her actions.
Las Vegas Aces head coach Becky Hammon actually enjoyed seeing Cunningham doing what she did, after she retaliated with a hard foul on a Connecticut Sun player, who had fouled her teammate in Caitlin Clark earlier in the game. Cunningham has received both praise and hate the incident which sparked a brawl before facing a petition to ban her from the game.
Cunningham had fouled Jacy Sheldon with just seconds left in the game, having no intention of playing the ball while looking to bring down her opponent – who had fouled Clark on numerous occasions earlier in the game. Clark appeared to be targeted earlier by the Sun and even shoved to the ground by Connecticut guard Marina Mabrey. Cunningham’s actions had clearly been in defense of Clark. It came as a WNBA commentator was humiliated in a bizarre Donald Trump incident live on air.
Speaking on the Clark incident, and how it had been officiated, Hammon explained that the Fever guard will have to get used to hard fouls throughout her career.
She said: “She’s a beast… and she’s just going to continue to get better. But she’s a player who you have to be physical with. If you just follow her around, she’s going to cook you for dinner.”
When asked on her thoughts on Cunningham and her teammates defending her, Hammon admitted that she’s a fan of such actions being allowed. She said: “I think teammates should step in and defend Caitlin.
Sophie Cunningham had sparked a scrap between numerous players after her hard foul
“But at the end of the day… there’s too much bumping, too much grabbing, too much fouling that’s not getting called. And people are tired of getting hit.”
Cunningham has quickly become a fan favorite with the Fever since joining alongside Clark, seeing her jersey now completely sold out following the incident.
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Meanwhile, some other fans want her kicked out of the league. In a peculiar petition, a fans group, with 388 signatures, have explained why there’s no place in the league for her actions.
“Cunningham has been involved in numerous incidents that have not only compromised the safety of other players but also tarnished the reputation of the WNBA as a league that prides itself on integrity and fair play,” the petition alleges.
Becky Hammon defended Sophie Cunningham’s actions
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“The WNBA has always been a beacon of sportsmanship and empowerment, showcasing the talents of incredible athletes who inspire fans around the world… Sophie Cunningham’s aggressive and malicious actions have violated these principles, diminishing the spirit of competition and setting a poor example for aspiring young athletes,” it continued.
“We urge the WNBA to uphold its standards and take firm action against players who repeatedly demonstrate disrespect and aggression toward others. Removing Sophie Cunningham from the league would send a strong message that the WNBA does not tolerate violence or intimidation, ensuring that the court remains a place for celebration, skill, and unity rather than conflict.”
