For the first time since 2015, the Indiana Fever have won a playoff round. But their win over the Atlanta Dream to secure their trip to the semifinals included a truly bizarre confrontation between Fever superstar Sophie Cunningham and some police officers.
Midway through the fourth quarter, Fever guard Odyssey Sims got knocked to the ground after a collision with Dream guard Allisha Gray. Officials reviewed the call for a flagrant foul and while the review was happening, Cunningham walked onto the center of the
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“With Sims down, officials reviewed the play for a potential flagrant foul on Gray. During the timeout, Cunningham walked to center court, with Clark and Chloe Bibby following behind her to check on their teammate,” Athlon Sports’ Chris Phelps explained.
“A police officer stepped in and motioned for Cunningham to back up, and the two exchanged words. Cunningham, with her hand on her hips, stood her ground for a few seconds before moving.”
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Confusion at Gateway Center Arena
Fans and analysts were left scratching their head by the scene:
“Why is a police officer asking the basketball players to leave the court when they are checking on an injured teammate?” Grant Paulsen wondered on X.
“I’m convinced the WNBA is some sort of social experiment at this point,” another fan remarked.
“Why is a cop telling any player to go back to their bench?” a third asked.
“Just when I thought CC would change the WNBA game for all…..I learn it’s more Hollywood than Hollywood.”
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“Everyday I’m more convinced that the W is a social experiment. Imagine Steph is hurt and a cop waving Draymond off the court in the playoffs.”
Jun 27, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham (8) looks on during the second half against the Dallas Wings at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images© Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
To be fair, Cunningham was in street clothes, so it’s possible that the officer may have believed that they were random people trying to get onto the court.
Even so, it’s a pretty wild scene for a police officer to be confronting an athlete in the middle of the court rather than the athlete simply being pulled away by coaches, teammates or staff.
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This story was originally reported by The Spun on Sep 19, 2025, where it first appeared in the WNBA section. Add The Spun as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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