Sophie Cunningham's locker-room twerk steals the show after Fever's Cup win | International Sports News - Times of India
Sophie Cunningham’s locker-room dance steals the show after Fever lift Commissioner’s Cup (Image Credit: Getty Images)
Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham didn’t wait for the post-game press conference to celebrate. Moments after the Fever beat the Minnesota Lynx 74-59 to lift their first Commissioner’s Cup, the 28-year-old turned to a teammate’s Instagram Live, dropped into a quick twerk, and sent social media into a frenzy.
Clips of the dance hit X, TikTok, and Instagram within minutes, racking up thousands of views before most fans even knew the final score.
Cunningham’s move happened in real time, streaming straight from the locker room to fans’ phones. The dance felt spontaneous, not staged, which made it easy to share. Fever followers have already rallied around Cunningham for her tough play and lively personality, so the moment fit her growing image.
The celebration was loud for good reason. Each player pockets a piece of the $500,000 prize pool that comes with the Cup. Even injured rookie star Caitlin Clark joined in, spraying champagne while teammates debated the next song on the playlist. But it was Cunningham’s 15-second dance that viewers kept replaying.
Indiana has spent two seasons rebuilding around young talent. Tuesday’s win and the viral buzz that followed signal a team moving from promise to presence.
Cunningham’s social-media moment may not add points to the standings, but it pushes the Fever deeper into the public eye, right when women’s basketball is grabbing more attention than ever.Sophie Cunningham scored 13 points in the final, then scored a bigger victory online. And in a league where highlights and hashtags often spread faster than box scores, one short twerk may do as much for the Fever’s profile as the shiny new trophy.