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Indiana Fever Fans Debate Sophie Cunningham's Gesture Toward Justine Pissott
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- Indiana Fever Fans Debate Sophie Cunningham's Gesture Toward Justine Pissott
Sophie Cunningham continued her outstanding 2026 season on Sunday, helping the Indiana Fever cruise to a 109-75 victory over the Las Vegas Aces . Cunningham was one of Indiana's biggest difference-makers, finishing with 20 points off the bench, while shooting 6-of-7 from beyond the arc as the Fever improved to 14-9 on the season.
Across the floor was rookie Justine Pissott, who had become one of the biggest stories in the WNBA just a day earlier after being let go by the Fever. Pissott erupted for 19 points in only 10 minutes during her WNBA debut against the Phoenix Mercury on Saturday, setting a new league record for the most three-pointers made in a player's debut (5). Against Indiana, though, she was held to two points.
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While Pissott had a much quiet outing, an incident involving Cunningham and the rookie guard caught the attention of fans.
Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham (8) reacts after scoring against the Las Vegas Aces.Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images
In the second quarter, Pissott rejected Cunningham's driving layup at the rim. As the players ran back up the floor, Cunningham turned toward the rookie and appeared to wave her off.
The clip quickly made the rounds on social media, leading a fan to question whether there was some tension between the two.
"Do Justine and Sophie have beef we didn't know about??😭👀," the fan posted .
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However, other fans were quick to push against the narrative, framing the exchange as friendly fire.
"That was after her block shot. I'm sure it was nothing more then 2 people competing," one fan replied .
"That's just basketball. Pls rest," wrote another.
"It's just basketball bro, lets stop framing competitive fire as 'beef'," mentioned one.
"A week ago they were having drinks in LA," added another.
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"Its sports. Competitive. It happens, even if you are cool off the court," another fan remarked .
Cunningham's pregame comments also suggested there was no bad blood between the two.
"I'm so proud of her," Cunningham told IndySports' Chloe Peterson before tip off. "I mean, she can shoot the heck out of the ball and I think any team is lucky to have her" (h/t Tony East of Forbes Sports ).
It's not the first time Cunningham's body language has gone viral this season. The Fever guard has been one of the biggest talking points in the WNBA since her 22-second silent finger-point at Mercury veteran DeWanna Bonner during Indiana's June 22 win became an internet meme.
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Jul 13, 2026, where it first appeared in the WNBA section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
