Sophie Cunningham makes feelings clear on 'Pay us what you owe us' as Caitlin Clark and Napheesa Collier lead WNBA All-Stars protest

Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham wasn't on the court to demand more pay during the WNBA All-Star game, but still made her stance known. The former Missouri player shared her feelings on the CBA negotiations between the league and the players' union, the WNBPA.

Cunningham commented on an Instagram post made by the WNBPA with a one-word response:

"PERIOD," Sophie Cunningham wrote on Saturday.

Sophie Cunningham’s comment/Instagram @thewnbpa

Caitlin Clark and Napheesa Collier, as team captains, led their teams to wear black warm-up T-shirts with the slogan "Pay Us What You Owe Us." It was a bold statement regarding league revenues amid ongoing CBA negotiations.

The current CBA agreement expires on Oct. 31. Delays in reaching a new agreement have led to a deadlock due to key issues, including revenue sharing, salaries and player benefits.

Players are demanding more because the league is experiencing hyper growth, as TV viewership is up to 23%, attendance is high, merchandise sales are booming and a massive $2.2 billion media rights deal starts in 2026.

The WNBPA, led by Nneka Ogwumike and Kelsey Plum, is reportedly demanding a compensation structure that better reflects the league's rising revenues. While it appears that negotiations are still deadlocked, Commissioner Cathy Engelbert labelled talks that took place on Thursday as "constructive," while some players called it a "wasted opportunity."

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Sophie Cunningham calls out WNBA referees

Sophie Cunningham joined other players to call out WNBA referees. On Friday, she discussed the level of officiating, which has come under intense pressure in recent games.

She sang along to the lyrics: "Stupid, or is it slow? Maybe it's useless." "I'm just trollin," she wrote while also captioning the video with "@ some refs."

Commissioner Engelbert on Saturday broke her silence on the issue:

“We hear the concerns, we take that input," Cathy Engelbert said (via Indy Star reporter Chloe Peterson). "Every play is reviewed … there’s an independent evaluation of officials. There are ramifications. It’s something we need to continue to work on.”

Cunnigham isn't the only WNBA player to publicly air their mind on the issue recently. On X, Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese asked the league to "do better" with the level of officiating.

Edited by Victor R. Lopez M.