Cunningham Launches GoFundMe Over WNBA Fines

Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham launched a GoFundMe on Oct. 2 ostensibly to cover multiple WNBA fines but quickly said it was a joke, that she would pay her own fines, and that any proceeds would go to Ronald McDonald House Charities; the campaign goal was revised from reported figures as high as $10 million (or $1 million) down to $26,000. Cunningham was fined several times this season—reports cite a $500 fine for a TikTok, a $1,500 fine for podcast comments about referees, and additional penalties tied to an on-court altercation with Connecticut Sun guard Jacy Sheldon—and the fundraiser drew a few thousand dollars in early donations. The stunt came amid broader player unrest after Napheesa Collier and others publicly criticized Commissioner Cathy Engelbert and league officiating, and Cunningham amplified those criticisms in exit interviews, calling for leadership accountability and saying many in power "don't know s— about basketball." Players, coaches and some observers have argued inconsistent officiating and unchecked physical play have contributed to injuries and hurt the product and viewership, heightening tensions as the WNBPA and WNBA negotiate a new collective bargaining agreement. Cunningham framed the campaign as tongue-in-cheek while remaining one of the league’s most outspoken players pushing for change.