WNBA Star Fined Over TikTok Video

It's been a tough year for WNBA referees—as detailed in an ESPN piece last week—and it appears the league is getting touchy about it. Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham tweeted she's been fined $500 for mocking the refs in a TikTok video, reports the Indianapolis Star.

• The mockery: Last week, Cunningham posted a video of herself lip-synching a line to the Sabrina Carpenter hit "Manchild" with the words, "Stupid, or is it slow? Maybe it's: useless." The video had the caption "@ some refs," per People.

• The fine: "I got fined $500 for this TikTok," wrote Cunningham. "idk why this is funny to me… like ok you got it bud! Cause there's not more important things to be worried about with our league right now."
• Context: WNBA refs have been taking much flak this season. Last month, for example, Fever coach Stephanie White said this: "Everybody's getting better, except the officials. So we got to find a way to remedy it. I mean, you've heard every coach talk about it, so I don't know what the answer is." A key line from the ESPN story: Players and coaches say they aren't asking for perfection, but in interviews with ESPN, several voiced frustration and said they want greater consistency in how games are refereed and the level of physicality allowed."
• Clark factor: Higher-profile bits of the ref controversy center around Fever star Caitlyn Clark, reports NBC News, which notes that Cunningham is often seen as Clark's protector on the court. Cunningham was ejected last month for scuffling with an opposing player who had sparred with Clark earlier the same game.