By admin 
Sophie Cunningham’s behavior during the U.S. national anthem stood out during Sunday’s Indiana Fever at Atlanta Dream game.
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The 30-year-old Indiana Fever guard, who has gone viral in recent weeks for her comments on transgender athletes, was seen with her hand over her heart during the U.S. national anthem in Atlanta on Sunday. Cunningham appeared to be the only Fever player with her hand over her heart.
“Sophie Cunningham stood with her hand over her heart during the National Anthem before the Indiana Fever’s game against the Atlanta Dream. Caitlin Clark was also on the court, while the Atlanta Dream were not present for the anthem. The different pregame actions have drawn attention and sparked debate among WNBA fans,” one fan noted on X.
Another fan added: “Sophie Cunningham was the ONLY one from her whole team who stood with her hand over her heart during the National Anthem The Atlanta Dreams didn’t even bother coming onto the court.”
You don’t need to put your hand over your heart to show respect during the U.S. national anthem, but Cunningham is clearly standing out on social media for how she behaved.
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Cunningham stands by her stance on transgender athletes
Cunningham isn’t backing down.
In an ESPN article, Cunningham said that she wanted to “protect young girls in the locker room” and that “they shouldn’t have to go against biological men.”
Cunningham stood by her opinion when speaking to reporters, too.
“I said what I said. I think it’s kind of common sense,” Cunningham said to reporters. “And I think I’ll always believe in that. I think it’s really important to protect children, and that’s little girls who are also involved in that category. I stand on what I said.”
Cunningham, who has become one of the WNBA’s most polarizing players, is seemingly going viral for just about everything these days.
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This story was originally published August 18, 2026 at 6:57 AM.