The Choice: Sophie Cunningham Left Out
Twelve seconds. Fever down four. One player stood wide open — Sophie Cunningham — but the ball never came. Instead, chaos, a forced shot, and a Mystics win, 88–84.
The clip became the story. Cameras caught Caitlin Clark’s glare as the shot clanged. Online, fans froze the frame: Sophie, hands raised, ignored. Hashtags exploded — #FreeSophie, #HateSophie — and a narrative formed: she wasn’t just overlooked. She was unwanted.
It wasn’t the first time. Two games earlier, Sophie stood open again, only to watch Mitchell force a miss. Even practice drills proved she could hit those shots. But in crunch time, trust disappeared.
Coach Stephanie White’s defense — “We trusted Kelsey in that moment” — only fueled backlash. Fans pointed to the image as proof.
For Sophie, traded to Indiana for a fresh start, the moment cut deeper. A player meant to bring toughness is now a symbol of betrayal.
As one fan wrote: “She was right there.”
