Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham addressed allegations she had a sexual relationship with Phoenix Suns and Phoenix Mercury CEO Josh Bartelstein.
The allegation was mentioned in a lawsuit filed by former Suns employee Gene Traylor, who is suing Suns Legacy Partners, LLC, for alleged discrimination, harassment and retaliation.
The lawsuit said Traylor told Bartelstein that another employee was spreading gossip about the married executive having an affair with Cunningham.
The former Mercury player released a statement Wednesday.
"I am deeply saddened by the recent false accusations made against me by Gene Traylor, someone I do not know and have never met. Let me be clear, his statements are untrue and extremely hurtful," she said.
"I am here to compete, play basketball at the highest level and win for my team and my fans, while inspiring other women that they can do or be anything they ever dream of becoming. I hold myself to the highest integrity and my values are what guide me on and off the court.
"To the media who reported on this, I have always spoken the truth and been transparent with (a) press inquiry. In this instance it feels irresponsible that I was never asked for a comment about the accusation before several clickbait stories went to print.
"I will not let untrue gossip take my focus away from what is most important to me which is basketball, my supportive team and fans."
The Suns denied the affair in a statement from senior vice president of communications Stacey Mitch, calling it "entirely false and morally reprehensible."
The team blamed Traylor’s attorney, Sharee, Wright for including "salacious lies and fabrications into her complaints."
Wright called the Suns’ statement "not only defamatory" but an "act of open retaliation against protected legal advocacy."
Natasha Howard’s first shot was blocked, and then she hit back-iron. Nia Coffey grabbed the rebound, and the Dream were able to waste the remainder of the clock.
Safe to say, fans were baffled by Clark not getting the final shot.
Indiana trailed, 44-42, at the half while Clark was on pace for a second triple-double in as many games this season. However, the Dream went on an 11-0 run, and it looked like all was over.
Trailing by 11 to start the fourth, Clark hit two deep 3-pointers and handed out a nifty behind-the-back assist to cut the deficit to four.
Indiana could not inch closer for several minutes but finally tied the game with just over a minute left. Aliyah Boston then went to the line with 21.7 seconds left and gave the Fever their first lead since they scored the first basket of the game.
However, Atlanta's Rhyne Howard hit two free throws, the game-tying and winning shots, with 9.7 seconds left.
Clark finished with 27 points and 11 assists. It was the 10th 20-point, 10-assist game for Clark in her young career, tying Courtney Vandersloot's WNBA record. Vandersloot has played in 430 games. Clark has played in just 42.
In two games, Clark is averaging 23.5 points and 10.5 assists.
Caitlin Clark became the co-owner of yet another WNBA record, but her performance came in a losing effort.
The Atlanta Dream took down Clark's Indiana Fever, 91-90, in a thriller in Indianapolis Tuesday night, all while Clark rewrote the history books again.
Indiana trailed, 44-42, at the half, while Clark was on pace for a second triple-double in as many games this season. However, the Dream went on an 11-0 run, and it looked like all was over.
Trailing by 11 to start the fourth, Clark hit two deep 3-pointers and handed out a nifty behind-the-back assist to cut the deficit to four.
Indiana could not inch closer for several minutes but finally tied the game with just over a minute left. Aliyah Boston then went to the line with 21.7 seconds left and gave the Fever their first lead since they scored the first basket of the game. The foul against Boston was committed by Brittney Griner, who fouled out on the play.
Rhyne Howard of Atlanta, though, hit two free throws with 9.7 seconds left to take a one-point lead. Clark inbounded the ball but never touched it again. The Fever missed two shots to take the lead, and the Dream took home a thrilling victory.
Clark finished with 27 points and 11 assists. It's the 10th 20-point, 10-assist game for Clark in her young career, tying Courtney Vandersloot's WNBA record. Vandersloot has played in 430 games. Clark has played in just 42.
Clark also notched her 350th career assist Tuesday in her 42nd career game. It's the fastest a WNBA player has gotten to 350 assists. She also now has over 800 points, becoming the fourth fastest in the league to reach that milestone.
Griner finished the game with 21 points and eight rebounds.
It was the Fever's first game since the WNBA announced it was investigating reports of "hateful comments" directed toward Angel Reese Saturday during a game against Indiana. Clark's Fever defeated Reese's Sky, 93-58, and Clark was called for a flagrant foul against Reese, which resulted in Reese being held back from Clark.
In two games, Clark is averaging 23.5 points and 10.5 assists.
The WNBA is investigating allegations that there were "hateful comments" directed at Angel Reese during the Chicago Sky's matchup against Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever.
The Saturday matchup was the 2025 debut for both organizations and the second season for both players, whose rivalry began during the 2023 college national championship.
Clark was hit with a flagrant foul against Reese, and Reese had to be held back from Clark by others.
The specifics of the alleged incident have yet to be revealed.
Sky head coach Tyler Marsh admitted he found out about the alleged speech "when everyone else did," but Reese praised the league for looking into the matter.
"Obviously, there's no place in this league for that," Reese said on Tuesday. "I think the WNBA, our team, our organization has done a great job supporting me. I've had communication from everyone, from so many people across this league... Going through this whole process, it could happen to me. It could happen to anyone. I think they've done a great job in supporting us in this."
"Obviously it’s tough. But I think I have a great support system. I’m loved by so many people and obviously, in the moment, it is hard to hear. But my support system is great. God has protected me in so many ways," she added. "I’ve gone through so many different things in the past couple of years in my life, but I think just having the support and this love, and being a part of an organization that really supports me and loves me, is something I just couldn’t imagine not being a part of."
"They understand that this is the priority. Obviously, there's no place for this. I think two days before they put out ‘No Hate No Speech’. Obviously, the women in this league, they know that, and they know there's no space in that. I believe every player in this league deserves to be treated with respect and want to come to work and just have fun and have a great environment to work at. I think they've done a great job putting that out, and obviously, they're going to respond as they need to."
"There's no place for that in our game," Clark told reporters, via the Indy Star. "There's no place for that in society. Certainly we want every person that comes into our arena, whether player, whether fan, to have a great experience.
"I appreciate the league doing that. The Fever organization has been at the forefront of that since, really, day one, what they're doing. Hopefully the investigation — we'll leave that up to them to find anything and take the proper action if so."
Clark's Fever went 3-1 against the Sky last season and routed Chicago, 93-58, on Saturday. The two teams face off three more times this season, with both of their next two at the United Center in Chicago.
Saturday afternoon's matchup between the Indiana Fever and Chicago Sky was the most-watched WNBA game ever on ESPN, and it lived up to expectations.
It was the season opener for both squads, and it was the first battle between Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese since last year.
And while both players have said publicly there is no rivalry or animosity between them, there were fireworks when Clark committed a flagrant foul on Reese, and Reese had to be held back.
Following the game, the WNBA launched an investigation into alleged hateful comments against Reese. She claimed last year that Clark, Indiana, and University of Iowa fans, had been racist toward her throughout the season.
Amid the investigation, a TikTok user posted a video that said that saying there is a "rivalry" between the two teams, and players, would be "innappropriate…in relation to the severity at hand."
"The situation at hand is that when Angel Reese walks into the Indiana Fever arena, she is no longer safe. She is not safe, because there are some Indiana Fever fans who are racist, who will treat her like she is not a human being, who will hurl slurs and threats her way, and that is not OK. That's not a thing that happens in sports - it is not OK," the user said.
"You all knew that was going to happen. You all knew that environment is unsafe for Angel."
Reese reposted the video onto her own account.
Clark spoke about the probe into the alleged comments, saying there is "no place" for such speech.
"There's no place for that in our game," Clark told reporters, via the Indy Star. "There's no place for that in society. Certainly we want every person that comes into our arena, whether player, whether fan, to have a great experience.
"I appreciate the league doing that. The Fever organization has been at the forefront of that since, really, day one, what they're doing. Hopefully the investigation — we'll leave that up to them to find anything and take the proper action if so."
The Fever routed the Sky, 93-58, improving to 4-1 against Chicago since Clark and Reese joined the WNBA. The two teams will play each other three more times this year, with each of the next two taking place in Chicago at the United Center.
Dave Portnoy will not let anyone say he is a Caitlin Clark fan simply because she is White.
In a recent edition of his podcast, ESPN analyst Ryan Clark name-dropped the Barstool Sports founder as someone on the "hate train" of Angel Reese following her spat with Clark over the weekend.
Clark said Portnoy, Keith Olbermann and Robert Griffin III have made Reese the "villain" and Clark "heroic."
Portnoy posted a video over six minutes long in which he said he "can't believe I'm ranting about this again," responding to Clark.
Portnoy made it a point to mention that he is "sure there are some Black people who hate Caitlin just because she's White. I'm sure there are White people who hate Angel just because she's Black."
But he is not one of those people, and he believed the Reese hate is warranted.
"Caitlin fans have every reason to hate Angel Reese. … Fever fans, Caitlin fans should hate Angel Reese. Angel Reese has been nothing but an instigator, agitator and jacka-- basically for the last couple years," Portnoy said in his video.
"Angel Reese has doubled down, tripled down, quadrupled down and has built her persona as Caitlin's rival. … It's one thing after another, after another. … The jealousy that Angel Reese has towards her and has consistently shown makes Caitlin fans hate her. … When you have one player that's constantly poking at you, constantly degrading you, yes, you're going to f---ing hate her."
"I'm sick of ESPN making it a race issue," he continued. "You have a superior basketball player who constantly has someone below taking shots at them, won't shut up and then plays the victim. … If [Angel] didn't have Caitlin, nobody would know who she is. If Caitlin didn't have Angel, it would be the same popularity for Caitlin."
Clark and Reese got into a mini-scuffle after Clark fouled Reese hard; it was ruled a flagrant. Clark later labeled the foul as a "good take foul," as she didn't want Reese to have a "free two points" underneath the basket. Reese later agreed despite her visible frustrations early on.
Clark and Reese have major history going back to the 2023 NCAA women’s basketball national championship. Both players downplayed the incident. Both have even said there's no rivalry between them and that it's been driven by the media.
Portnoy attended the contest and said Reese "deserved to get booed" after getting upset with Clark. He was also upset with the WNBA's investigation into alleged hate comments directed toward Reese.
"Listen, I was at the game. If there was somebody being racist or saying s---, obviously boot them, never let them back," Portnoy said. "I would be stunned beyond belief if that was the case. … The crowd at the Fever game? Little girls, families, ladies, nice crowd. Were we mad when Angel Reese attacked Cailtin Clark for no reason? Yeah. Did we boo her? Yeah. Is it sports? Yeah.
"For the WNBA and now the Indiana Fever to issue statements, ‘We’re investigating,’ unless something so preposterous happened that nobody in the stadium saw, there’s not an ounce of proof, there’s not a video of it, there’s [no] camera phone of it, unless something happened, which I know it didn’t. For them to acknowledge this and, again, kind of paint Indiana Fever fans, like, by just saying ‘We’re investigating the hate’ … even though it’s 100% false, by acknowledging, ‘We don’t condone hate,' and not seeing that this was an internet rumor founded of complete bulls---, you’re lending credence to this."
Clark told ESPN’s Holly Rowe after the third quarter that there had been "nothing malicious" behind the foul.
Fox News' Chantz Martin contributed to this report.
The Phoenix Suns and Mercury fired back at an accusation in a recent lawsuit that claimed the franchises’ CEO Josh Bartelstein was having an affair with WNBA player Sophie Cunningham.
The accusation surfaced in a lawsuit from former employee Gene Traylor against Suns Legacy Partners, LLC. The lawsuit was publicized last week, but one detail came to light during the week.
Traylor said in the lawsuit he met with Josh Bartelstein, who is married, and told him that Cornelius Craig, the teams’ vice president of security of security and risk management, had been going around telling people that Bartelstein was having an affair with Cunningham.
"When Bartelstein asked Plaintiff to reveal what Craig was saying, Plaintiff explained that Craig had been telling others, ‘Josh Bartelstein is f-----g Sophie Cunningham,’" the lawsuit filed in Arizona District Court read. "Additionally, Plaintiff requested that Bartelstein speak with the security team about Craig’s behavior."
The Suns responded in a statement to Fox News Digital.
"The recent reports concerning Josh Bartelstein and Sophie Cunningham are entirely false and morally reprehensible. Let’s be absolutely clear about the origin of these claims," Suns senior vice president of communications Stacey Mitch said.
"Attorney Sheree Wright, a personal injury and immigration lawyer, currently serving a two year probation with the Arizona State Bar for violating the rules of professional conduct, sees an opportunity because of the reports about previous ownership. Ms. Wright has now filed four separate lawsuits against the organization, seeking over $140 million dollars in compensation. To date, her cases have been dismissed by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and Arizona Civil Rights Division or voluntarily withdrawn.
"She continues to insert salacious lies and fabrications into her complaints—knowing that the media may report them as fact, as happened yesterday—she hopes to coerce the Phoenix Suns into settling. Sheree Wright will not extort our organization and never see a single dollar.
"We will pursue all available legal avenues and hold those accountable for participating in the spread of misleading and false narratives."
Wright is one of the attorneys representing Traylor in the case.
She responded to the Suns' statement later Tuesday.
"The Phoenix Suns’ statement is not only defamatory, it is an act of open retaliation against protected legal advocacy," Wright told Fox News Digital. "I stand firmly behind the allegations brought in our federal complaint, which are based on documented evidence, corroborated witness accounts, and facts that the Suns would prefer remain buried. The claim involving Sophie Cunningham is not fabricated—it was corroborated long before the complaint was filed, and the organization is well aware of this.
The Suns’ latest statement falsely accuses me of filing lawsuits to extort the organization and attacks my professional record in an effort to deflect from the egregious conduct alleged by multiple former employees. I will not be intimidated by public relations spin or personal smear tactics. I am not the only attorney involved in these lawsuits."
Wright called the Suns’ alleged attempt to dismiss her resume as a lawyer "disgraceful."
"Before becoming an attorney, I served as an investigator at the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) for over seven years. I know how to identify patterns of workplace discrimination and retaliation, and I bring that experience to every case I litigate. It is disgraceful that the organization and its representatives are trying to discredit my legal and investigative background rather than address the substance of the claims brought under federal civil rights laws.
"As for the bar reference: I am a licensed attorney in good standing. The two-year probation they cite has no bearing on the merits of this case and is being weaponized in a desperate attempt to silence and discredit a Black woman standing up to corporate misconduct. That speaks volumes about their priorities."
She made clear she would not be "bullied" or "silenced."
"My clients deserve to be heard. If the Suns believe the facts are on their side, they are free to produce their executives and employees under oath in a court of law. We welcome that process and are prepared for it."
Traylor, the team’s former director of safety, security and risk management, filed a lawsuit against Suns Legacy Partners, LLC, accusing the company of discrimination, harassment and retaliation. He also alleged that the team retaliated against him after he reported weapons breaches.
The Suns called the allegations Taylor made against the franchise "delusional and categorically false."
"Guest safety is our top priority," a Suns spokeswoman told ESPN last week. "We continue to meet and exceed safety expectations. We regularly conduct security tests, which is standard across the industry. We have used these proactive measures to ensure we are operating at the highest level of safety and preparedness."
Fox News Digital reached out to a Cunningham rep for comment.
She was traded to the Fever from the Mercury in the offseason. She signed an extension with the Mercury before being traded and called Phoenix her "home away from home."
Cunningham sat out of Saturday’s game against the Chicago Sky with an ankle injury.
Caitlin Clark addressed the WNBA’s investigation into alleged "hateful comments" toward Angel Reese during a shootaround on Monday as the Indiana Fever prepare for the Atlanta Dream.
The WNBA launched its investigation on Sunday as the league condemned "racism, hate and discrimination in all forms." There were no specifics detailed about the alleged incident.
"There's no place for that in our game," Clark told reporters, via the Indy Star. "There's no place for that in society. Certainly we want every person that comes into our arena, whether player, whether fan, to have a great experience.
"I appreciate the league doing that. The Fever organization has been at the forefront of that since, really, day one, what they're doing. Hopefully the investigation — we'll leave that up to them to find anything and take the proper action if so."
Pacers Sports & Entertainment CEO Mel Raines issued a statement on the matter.
"We are aware of the allegations of inappropriate fan conduct during yesterday’s game and we are working closely with the WNBA to complete their investigation," Raines said. "We stand firm in our commitment to providing a safe environment for all WNBA players."
The Women’s National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA) also released a statement, calling "such behavior unacceptable."
"The WNBPA is aware of reports of hateful comments at yesterday’s game in Indianapolis and supports the WNBA’s current investigation into this matter," the union said. "Such behavior is unacceptable for our sport.
"Under the WNBA’s ‘No Space for Hate’ policy, we trust the league to thoroughly investigate and take swift, appropriate action to ensure a safe and welcoming environment for all."
The WNBA launched its "No Space for Hate" campaign before the 2025 season tipped off. The campaign will include the use of AI social media monitoring tools that will help the league enforce a revised code of conduct.
"As part of the comprehensive plan, the WNBA is rolling out an AI-powered technology solution to monitor social media activity, in partnership with players and teams, to help protect the community from online hate speech and harassment," it said.
A revised WNBA fan code of conduct includes regulations for fans on social media, and threats of sanctioning those fans from official content if they are violated. The new policy lists racist, homophobic, sexist, sexual, threatening or libelous content as "subject to blocking or deletion."
"Repeat violations of these guidelines may result in the violator no longer being able to follow our news, comment on our posts or send us messages," the policy reads. "Additionally, any direct threats to players, referees or other league and team personnel may be referred to law enforcement and may result in the violator being banned from all WNBA arenas and events."
Fox News' Jackson Thompson contributed to this report.
ESPN star Stephen A. Smith weighed in on Monday about why Catilin Clark’s hard foul on Angel Reese became a major story of the sports weekend.
Clark’s foul under the basket came after Reese pushed off of an Indiana Fever player to secure an offensive rebound. Clark fouled the Chicago Sky forward in order to prevent an easy two points. Reese let Clark have an earful over the foul.
Clark’s personal foul was upgraded to a flagrant foul.
The two WNBA stars downplayed the foul in their postgame press conferences, but it still became a hot topic of debate because of the history the two young athletes have.
"First Take" host Molly Qerim asked bluntly whether the story of Clark and Reese becoming "trending news" was because it was women being physical with each other or was it because it involved a Black and a White player.
"It’s not about Black and White – it’s about that White player and that Black player," Smith said of Clark and Reese. "Why? Because of the history they had before they came to the WNBA. If Angel Reese was never in Caitlin Clark’s face taunting her the way that she did, mimicking what Caitlin Clark was doing to numerous opponents in route to the Final Four and then LSU and Angel Reese busted their you know what at that particular moment in time and Angel Reese was in her face chirping at her the way that she did, it would have never gotten to this point.
"I have never deemed that to be a bad thing. I love that kind of confrontation. I love that kind of heat. But there are White folks in America had a problem with Angel Reese coming at ‘The Chosen One,’ Caitlin Clark, that way. And because of that, they’ve acted with a level of vitriol. How do we know that? Because Angel Reese came back to college following year and one of the things that reduced her to tears was the vitriol that she was receiving from around the country because were hating on her because of her elevated popularity and the fact that she had gone at Caitlin Clark that way.
"Now, we come to the WNBA. No fault of Caitlin’s at all. But in the end, because of her greatness and because people were resistant to accepting the way I have articulated on many occasions, you have people using that as an excuse to throw vitriol at other people. In the end, here’s what I say, that’s what’s contributed to Angel Reese becoming a household name, along with the fact that she’s a rebounding demon … but that’s elevated her level of popularity."
Smith pointed to the rivalry Larry Bird and Earvin "Magic" Johnson had in the NBA. It started at the college level and blossomed into the NBA.
He drew a comparative racial line between the NBA greats and young WNBA stars.
"What I would say all of y’all is this … no matter how great Michael Jordan was obviously, it started with Bird vs. Magic. Yeah, you can talk about Showtime vs. Boston, but that White superstar losing in that national championship game to that dude called Magic at Michigan State when (Bird) was at Indiana State and him coming into the NBA," he said. "They constantly made the Finals, and they owned most of the 80s in terms of the two teams, respectively. The bottom line is, it contributed to elevate the popularity.
"So, Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark, embrace this. It’s OK, because all y’all doing is competing."
Indiana won the first of five games against Chicago. Clark had a triple-double and Reese had a double-double.
Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy pushed back on allegations that "hateful comments" were reportedly made toward Angel Reese during the Chicago Sky’s game against the Indiana Fever.
The WNBA launched an investigation on Sunday. The remarks were allegedly made toward the second-year Sky star during Saturday’s matchup, according to The Associated Press. The league said it "strongly condemns racism, hate and discrimination in all forms."
No specifics were presented, and Portnoy cast doubt on whether the comments happened and speculated that internet trolls could have been behind it. Portnoy was at the game at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse and sat courtside in a Caitlin Clark jersey.
Portnoy said in a video posted to his X account that the only "hate" he saw came from Reese against Clark after the Fever star hit Reese with a hard foul in the third quarter. Reese let Clark know emphatically that she did not like it. Clark was given a flagrant foul but said there was "no malicious intent" behind it.
"Listen, I was at the game. If there was somebody being racist or saying s---, obviously boot ’em. Never let them back," Portnoy said. "I would be stunned beyond belief if that was the case. … The crowd at the Fever game? Little girls, families, ladies, nice crowd. Were we mad when Angel Reese attacked Cailtin Clark for no reason? Yeah. Did we boo her? Yeah. Is it sports? Yeah.
"For the WNBA, and now the Indiana Fever, to issue statements, ‘We’re investigating,’ unless something so preposterous happened that nobody in the stadium saw — there’s not an ounce of proof, there’s not a video of it, there’s not camera phone of it — unless something happened, which I know it didn’t. For them to acknowledge this and, again, kind of paint Indiana Fever fans, like, by just saying ‘We’re investigating the hate’ … even though it’s 100% false, by acknowledging ‘We don’t condone hate,’ and not seeing that this was an internet rumor founded of complete bulls---, you’re lending credence to this."
Portnoy added that the crowd was good and that Reese "deserved" to at least be booed but had a message for the WNBA.
"Angel Reese deserved to get her a-- booed when she attacked Caitlin on a normal foul," he said. "Other than that, what are you talking about? The WNBA, talk about killing the golden goose. Like, you guys are lucky you have Caitlin Clark. You are lucky you have the Indiana Fever. It makes the league relevant. All you do is s--- on ‘em.
"And for the Fever, by the way, to even put out that statement, I’ll eat my words if you find one iota, or if there’s even one person who is doing something. Being in that crowd, seeing that crowd, being at the game, zero point zero, zero, zero, zero, zero chance there’s any truth to this. And you add validity when you acknowledge the statement, ‘We don’t condone hate.’ There was no hate. The only hate was coming from Angel Reese attacking Caitlin Clark."
The Women’s National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA) released a statement on the issue as well.
"The WNBPA is aware of reports of hateful comments at yesterday’s game in Indianapolis and supports the WNBA’s current investigation into this matter. Such behavior is unacceptable in our sport," the statement said. "Under the WNBA’s ‘No Space for Hate’ policy, we trust the league to thoroughly investigate and take swift, appropriate action to ensure a safe and welcoming environment for all."
The Fever acknowledged the investigation was taking place, as did the Sky.
"We will do everything in our power to protect Chicago Sky players, and we encourage the league to continue taking meaningful steps to create a safe environment for all WNBA players," Sky CEO Adam Fox said.
The Sky and Fever have four more matchups on the docket this season.
The WNBA on Sunday said it launched an investigation into reports of "hateful comments" that took place during the Indiana Fever’s blowout win over the Chicago Sky on Saturday.
The comments were reportedly directed at Angel Reese by fans during the game.
The league didn’t get into specifics of what allegedly occurred during the game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
"The WNBA strongly condemns racism, hate, and discrimination in all forms — they have no place in our league or in society. We are aware of the allegations and are looking into the matter," the league said in a statement.
The Women’s National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA) also released a statement.
"The WNBPA is aware of reports of hateful comments at yesterday’s game in Indianapolis and supports the WNBA’s current investigation into this matter," the union said. "Such behavior is unacceptable for our sport.
"Under the WNBA’s ‘No Space for Hate’ policy, we trust the league to thoroughly investigate and take swift, appropriate action to ensure a safe and welcoming environment for all."
Pacers Sports & Entertainment CEO Mel Raines issued a statement on the matter.
"We are aware of the allegations of inappropriate fan conduct during yesterday’s game and we are working closely with the WNBA to complete their investigation," Raines said. "We stand firm in our commitment to providing a safe environment for all WNBA players."
The WNBA launched its "No Space for Hate" campaign before the 2025 season tipped off. The campaign will include the use of AI social media monitoring tools that will help the league enforce a revised code of conduct.
"As part of the comprehensive plan, the WNBA is rolling out an AI-powered technology solution to monitor social media activity, in partnership with players and teams, to help protect the community from online hate speech and harassment," it said.
A revised WNBA fan code of conduct includes regulations for fans on social media, and threats of sanctioning those fans from official content if they are violated. The new policy lists racist, homophobic, sexist, sexual, threatening or libelous content as "subject to blocking or deletion."
"Repeat violations of these guidelines may result in the violator no longer being able to follow our news, comment on our posts or send us messages," the policy reads. "Additionally, any direct threats to players, referees or other league and team personnel may be referred to law enforcement and may result in the violator being banned from all WNBA arenas and events."
The Fever-Sky game featured a heated moment between Fever star Caitlin Clark and Reese in the third quarter. Clark fouled Reese hard, sparking an outburst from the Sky forward, but cooler heads prevailed.
Fox News’ Jackson Thompson contributed to this report.
The WNBA on Sunday said it launched an investigation into reports of "hateful comments" that took place during the Indiana Fever’s blowout win over the Chicago Sky on Saturday.
The league didn’t get into specifics of what allegedly occurred during the game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
"The WNBA strongly condemns racism, hate, and discrimination in all forms — they have no place in our league or in society. We are aware of the allegations and are looking into the matter," the league said in a statement.
The Women’s National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA) also released a statement.
"The WNBPA is aware of reports of hateful comments at yesterday’s game in Indianapolis and supports the WNBA’s current investigation into this matter," the union said. "Such behavior is unacceptable for our sport.
"Under the WNBA’s ‘No Space for Hate’ policy, we trust the league to thoroughly investigate and take swift, appropriate action to ensure a safe and welcoming environment for all."
The WNBA launched its "No Space for Hate" campaign before the 2025 season tipped off. The campaign will include the use of AI social media monitoring tools that will help the league enforce a revised code of conduct.
"As part of the comprehensive plan, the WNBA is rolling out an AI-powered technology solution to monitor social media activity, in partnership with players and teams, to help protect the community from online hate speech and harassment," it said.
A revised WNBA fan code of conduct includes regulations for fans on social media, and threats of sanctioning those fans from official content if they are violated. The new policy lists racist, homophobic, sexist, sexual, threatening or libelous content as "subject to blocking or deletion."
"Repeat violations of these guidelines may result in the violator no longer being able to follow our news, comment on our posts or send us messages," the policy reads. "Additionally, any direct threats to players, referees or other league and team personnel may be referred to law enforcement and may result in the violator being banned from all WNBA arenas and events."
The Fever-Sky game featured a heated moment between Fever star Caitlin Clark and the Sky's Angel Reese in the third quarter. Clark fouled Reese hard, sparking an outburst from the Sky forward, but cooler heads prevailed.
Fox News’ Jackson Thompson contributed to this report.
Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham turned heads on Saturday afternoon with her outfit before the team’s win over the Chicago Sky.
Cunningham wore a black jacket over a black sheer outfit and heels and walked the Fever’s carpet, which they had rolled out for the outfit checks before the game. She posed for a few pictures of herself and with teammate Lexie Hull.
Unfortunately, Cunningham put on sweats instead of a Fever jersey. She was ruled out of the game with an ankle injury.
The Fever acquired Cunningham in a trade with the Phoenix Mercury in the offseason. She averaged 8.4 points and 3.9 rebounds in 40 games. She shot 37.8% from 3-point range and 42.9% from the field in all.
Cunningham went viral a few times during the 2024 season with some of the outfits she wore before games. One "Love Island" dress even became the talk of social media, but she told Fox News Digital in August that it was mom-approved.
She took the attention as a sign of the times as more interest has been paid to the WNBA since Caitlin Clark entered the league. Pregame "fit checks" have been one of the ways the league has captured attention on social media.
"I do think it's super cool that people are interested in what we do off the court now," Cunningham told Fox News Digital last year. "Our tunnel fits have been a fashion show, and people are so excited and intrigued about what we're going to wear."
Fox News’ Paulina Dedaj contributed to this report.
Indiana Fever star Aliyah Boston was stunned on Saturday when she learned she had eceived a technical foul during Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese’s tiff in the third quarter.
Clark was hit with a flagrant foul after she fouled the Chicago Sky before the second-year forward went up for a shot. Reese fell to the ground but got up and got into the face of Clark. Boston tried to come in between both players.
The referees determined that Clark’s foul had crossed the line of a natural basketball player because she had used her left hand to push Reese to the ground. The referees also gave Boston a technical foul.
"I got the tech? Oh, no!" she said in the postgame press conference.
Boston continued to be shocked as Clark explained the foul on Reese.
"Let's not make it something that it's not," Clark said. "It was just a good play on the basketball. I'm not sure what the ref saw to upgrade it, and that's up to their discretion. It's a take foul to put them at the free-throw line. I've watched a lot of basketball in my life, that's exactly what it was. I wasn't trying to do anything malicious. That's not the type of player I am."
Clark said she appreciated Boston having her back, even though she made clear that it had been just a routine basketball play. She added that she would pay Boston’s fine.
Reese also downplayed the hoopla, calling it "a basketball play."
Indiana won the game 93-58. Clark had a triple-double with 20 points, 10 rebound and 10 assists. Boston had 19 points and 13 rebounds.
Former NFL star Robert Griffin III reacted to the spat between Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese that took place during the Indiana Fever and Chicago Sky game on Saturday afternoon.
Tempers flared between Reese and Clark after the Fever sharpshooter committed a flagrant foul on the Sky forward. It was one of the bigger moments of Indiana’s 93-58 blowout win.
Griffin wrote on social media that the incident showed him one thing.
"After watching Caitlin Clark’s flagrant foul on Angel Reese and the aftermath, there is no way Angel Reese can continue the lie that she doesn’t dislike Caitlin Clark," Griffin wrote. "I know what hatred looks like. Angel Reese HATES Caitlin Clark. Not some basketball rivalry hate either. Hate."
Clark and Reese have major history, going back to the 2023 NCAA women’s basketball national championship.
Both players downplayed the incident.
Clark told ESPN’s Holly Rowe after the third quarter that there had been "nothing malicious" behind the foul.
Let's not make it something that it's not," Clark said after the game. "It was just a good play on the basketball. I'm not sure what the ref saw to upgrade it, and that's up to their discretion. It's a take foul to put them at the free-throw line. I've watched a lot of basketball in my life, that's exactly what it was. I wasn't trying to do anything malicious. That's not the type of player I am."
Reese said it was a "basketball play."
Fever head coach Stephanie White said she thought it was a "clear play on the ball" when Clark fouled Reese. But crew chief Roy Gulbeyan said Clark had pushed Reese with her left hand.
"The foul on Clark met the criteria for flagrant foul 1, for wind up, impact, and follow through for the extension of the left hand to Reese’s back, which is deemed not a legitimate basketball play, and therefore deemed unnecessary contact," he told a pool reporter. "After the foul, there is a physical taunt technical on (Aliyah) Boston and a verbal technical on Reese, which offset."
Clark finished with her third career triple-double, scoring 20 points, grabbing 10 rebounds and dishing out 10 assists. Reese put together another double-double. She had 12 points and 17 rebounds.
Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark began her 2025 WNBA season with a triple-double in her team’s 93-58 rout of the Chicago Sky Saturday.
During the game, Clark was called for a flagrant foul after a hard foul on her rival, Angel Reese.
The star Sky center was angry with the foul by Clark and went after her in a heated exchange broken up by Sky and Fever players. Clark walked away and never once looked at Reese as Reese continued to walk toward her.
While it appeared tense on the court, Clark and Reese said the foul wasn’t as bad as it seemed after the game.
"Let’s not make it something that it’s not," Clark said after dropping 20 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists. "It was just a good play on the basketball. I’m not sure what the ref saw to upgrade it, and that’s up to their discretion.
"It’s a take foul to put them at the free throw line. I’ve watched a lot of basketball in my life. That’s exactly what it was. I wasn’t trying to do anything malicious. That’s not the type of player I am."
During the play, Reese got an offensive rebound, and Clark appeared to motion toward the referee that the Sky center pushed off a fellow Fever player. Clark then fouled Reese intentionally, hugging her to prevent an easy layup.
The ESPN broadcast debated whether Clark pushed Reese slightly with her left arm after committing the foul, which might have led to Reese’s angry reaction.
Without elaborating, Reese called it a "basketball play" from Clark, a term both players have used in the past.
Reese struggled shooting in her season debut, scoring 12 points on 5 of 14 from the field, while grabbing a game-high 17 rebounds.
It was a brief moment, but considering the history between Clark and Reese, it’s another chapter in a rivalry that goes back to their college days. The Fever and Sky are now rivals because of the history between Clark and Reese.
Last season, the Fever took three of their four matchups, which included several hard fouls that led to national debate.
Stephanie White, who got her first win as head coach of the Fever, also commented on Clark’s foul.
"Nobody’s going to get anything easy against us," White said. "We're going to be a tough defensive team. I thought it was a clear play on the ball as well."
"The foul on Clark met the criteria for flagrant foul 1, for wind up, impact and follow-through for the extension of the left hand to Reese’s back, which is deemed not a legitimate basketball play, and therefore deemed unnecessary contact," crew chief Roy Gulbeyan said of Clark.
"After the foul, there is a physical taunt technical on Boston and a verbal technical on Reese, which offset."
The sold-out crowd at Gainbridge Fieldhouse cheered as Reese missed the first of her two free throws before Chicago retained the ball after the technical foul.
The Indiana Fever are off to a red-hot start to the 2025 WNBA season, taking down the Chicago Sky, 93-58, behind Caitlin Clark’s triple-double.
Clark picked up right where she left off in 2024. The reigning Rookie of the Year did it all for a new-look Fever team on its home court in Indianapolis.
Clark finished the game with 20 points after shooting 6-for-13 from the field with four made 3-pointers, adding 10 rebounds and 10 assists to lead her team to victory.
She was also doing it on the defensive end, too, registering four blocks and two steals in 32 minutes.
And while Clark was the team’s leading scorer, she had help from her fellow starters, including guard Kelsey Mitchell, whose savvy with the ball in her hands led to 15 points on 6-for-12 shooting.
Aliyah Boston, who built great chemistry with Clark during the 2024 campaign, also had a double-double, picking up 13 rebounds and 19 points on 8-for-12 shooting.
Natasha Howard proved to be a problem in the paint for Chicago, scoring 15 points with five rebounds, two assists and three steals.
Chicago star Angel Reese struggled to begin the season. She was just 5 of 14 from the field, though she led the game with 17 rebounds. She finished with 12 points.
It was a poor shooting day all around for the Sky, though. The team shot 29.1% (23-for-79) to the Fever’s 46.7%.
This is the way new head coach Stephanie White wanted to kick off the season, using Clark to anchor an offense with multiple scoring options.
There was a moment during the game, however, where tensions ran high and Clark was called for a flagrant foul after intentionally fouling Reese hard in the paint. Reese did not take it lightly either, getting up off the court and going at Clark, who wasn’t looking for a confrontation.
Referees reviewed the common foul and upgraded it to flagrant after seeing Clark’s left arm appear to push Reese in the back. Reese got two free throws with Chicago retaining possession.
Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese had a heated exchange after the Indiana Fever sharpshooter fouled the Chicago Sky forward in the third quarter of their matchup Saturday.
Reese pushed Fever forward Natasha Howard in the back as she grabbed an offensive rebound off a miss by teammate Rebecca Allen.
Reese brought the ball low, and Clark fouled her before she went up for a shot. Reese fell to the ground.
Reese got up from the floor and got into the face of Clark.
Referees looked at the play and determined Clark used her left hand to shove Reese to the floor. They upgraded the personal foul on Clark to a flagrant foul. And Reese and Aliyah Boston of the Fever were issued technical fouls.
"Nothing malicious about it, just a good take foul," Clark told ESPN's Holly Rowe.
It seemed to be another chapter in the rivalry between Clark and Reese.
The two had an intense rivalry during their time in women’s college basketball. Clark spoke on the importance of defeating rivals on the floor before the game against Chicago.
"Rivalries are real, and that's what makes sports so amazing," Clark told ESPN. "There's certain teams that those games just mean a little bit more. [We] come out here and play the same way every night, but [a rivalry] gets the fans involved, and they love it."
Clark’s history with the Sky began last season.
Clark took a series of questionable fouls from Reese's Sky throughout the 2024 season, including one from Reese June 16.
Clark also took an infamous illegal hip check from Chicago Sky forward Chennedy Carter June 1. Then, in late August, Chicago's Diamond DeShields committed a hard foul on Clark, who went flying across the floor. The foul was later upgraded to a flagrant violation, and DeShields later posted screenshots of hate messages she had received from the foul.
But Clark's team prevailed, taking three of the four meetings between the teams last year, which were among the most-watched WNBA contests all season.
The Sky and Fever meet five times in 2025.
Fox News’ Jackson Thompson contributed to this report.
Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese had a heated exchange after the Indiana Fever sharpshooter fouled the Chicago Sky forward in the third quarter of their matchup Saturday.
Reese pushed Fever forward Natasha Howard in the back as she grabbed an offensive rebound off a miss by teammate Rebecca Allen.
Reese brought the ball low, and Clark fouled her before she went up for a shot. Reese fell to the ground.
Reese got up from the floor and got into the face of Clark.
Referees looked at the play and determined Clark used her left hand to shove Reese to the floor. They upgraded the personal foul on Clark to a flagrant foul. And Reese and Aliyah Boston of the Fever were issued technical fouls.
"Nothing malicious about it, just a good take foul," Clark told ESPN's Holly Rowe.
It seemed to be another chapter in the rivalry between Clark and Reese.
The two had an intense rivalry during their time in women’s college basketball. Clark spoke on the importance of defeating rivals on the floor before the game against Chicago.
"Rivalries are real, and that's what makes sports so amazing," Clark told ESPN. "There's certain teams that those games just mean a little bit more. [We] come out here and play the same way every night, but [a rivalry] gets the fans involved, and they love it."
Clark’s history with the Sky began last season.
Clark took a series of questionable fouls from Reese's Sky throughout the 2024 season, including one from Reese June 16.
Clark also took an infamous illegal hip check from Chicago Sky forward Chennedy Carter June 1. Then, in late August, Chicago's Diamond DeShields committed a hard foul on Clark, who went flying across the floor. The foul was later upgraded to a flagrant violation, and DeShields later posted screenshots of hate messages she had received from the foul.
But Clark's team prevailed, taking three of the four meetings between the teams last year, which were among the most-watched WNBA contests all season.
The Sky and Fever meet five times in 2025.
Fox News’ Jackson Thompson contributed to this report.
Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese will renew their rivalry Saturday in the WNBA season opener between the Indiana Fever and Chicago Sky.
Clark opened up to ESPN about facing her rival to start their second season.
"Rivalries are real, and that's what makes sports so amazing," Clark said. "There's certain teams that those games just mean a little bit more. [We] come out here and play the same way every night, but [a rivalry] gets the fans involved, and they love it."
The two players have been pitted against each other on the court and by fans and media ever since their controversial battle in the 2023 NCAA championship game. Reese taunted Clark by pointing to her ring finger during the game, prompting outrage and sparking an ongoing feud between fans.
Clark's Iowa Hawkeyes got revenge on Reese's LSU Tigers a year later in the Elite Eight, but the tension hit a whole new level when the players reached the pros for their rookie WNBA seasons.
Clark took a series of questionable fouls from Reese's Sky throughout the 2024 season, including one from Reese June 16.
Clark also took an infamous illegal hip check from Chicago Sky forward Chennedy Carter June 1. Then, in late August, Chicago's Diamond DeShields committed a hard foul on Clark, who went flying across the floor. The foul was later upgraded to a flagrant violation, and DeShields later posted screenshots of hate messages she had received from the foul.
But Clark's team prevailed, taking three of the four meetings between the two teams last year, which were among the most-watched WNBA contests all season.
