Indiana Fever’s Sophie Cunningham Loses TikTok Account with 1.6M Followers Due to Multiple..
In a shocking turn for WNBA fans, Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham announced the sudden suspension of her wildly popular TikTok account, boasting over 1.6 million followers, due to multiple platform violations. The 28-year-old sharpshooter, known for her fiery defense of teammate Caitlin Clark and viral fashion posts, shared the news on X (formerly Twitter), expressing devastation and frustration.
Cunningham’s TikTok exploded in popularity during the 2025 season after a heated June altercation with Connecticut Sun’s Jacy Sheldon, where she was ejected for protecting Clark. Followers surged from 300,000 to over 1 million in days, fueled by her bold personality and behind-the-scenes WNBA content. By fall, the account hit 1.6 million, becoming a goldmine for brand deals worth thousands per post.
However, TikTok’s enforcement struck hard. Sources close to the athlete reveal the ban stemmed from repeated infractions: first, a July TikTok lip-syncing to Sabrina Carpenter’s “Manchild” with lyrics “Stupid, or is it slow? Or maybe useless?” captioned “@ some refs,” which earned her a $500 WNBA fine for criticizing officials. The league’s officiating woes, especially around Clark, had ignited widespread debate, but TikTok flagged it as targeted harassment.
Subsequent violations piled up. Cunningham posted unfiltered game rants, including clips shading rival teams and referees, breaching TikTok’s community guidelines on hate speech and bullying. A late-October video mocking a controversial foul call went viral but triggered mass reports from opponents’ fans. Insiders say additional strikes involved copyrighted music misuse in highlight reels and overly promotional content skirting ad disclosure rules.
“This is my voice, my hustle—gone in a swipe,” Cunningham tweeted, vowing to appeal. The loss stings amid her breakout year: jersey sales spiked, and she inked endorsement deals. Teammates rallied, with Clark posting, “Soph’s fire can’t be silenced. We’re rebuilding this empire elsewhere.”
WNBA stars like Angel Reese have echoed officiating gripes, but Cunningham’s saga highlights social media’s double-edged sword for athletes. As the Fever chase playoffs at 18-14, fans flood Instagram (now at 800K followers) with support. Will she migrate to YouTube? One thing’s certain: her unapologetic edge endures.
