The Indiana Fever and the Las Vegas Aces’ first-round WNBA playoff matchup was must-watch basketball. The grittiness and physicality brought out the intensity between both squads.
One of the most contentious moments during the series came in Game 2, when reigning WNBA MVP A’ja Wilson was given a technical foul after a foul from Sophie Cunningham and an ensuing confrontation with a courtside fan.
The Fever guard had words for Wilson, telling the 6-foot-4 center to “grow up” after Wilson berated a fan for pointing at her.
“We’re gonna go for them for just pointing and saying, ‘You fouled’?” Cunningham said on a recent episode of her “No Hesitation” podcast. “Like, grow up! What are we doing?”
Wilson and Cunningham have history, dating back to their days as college rivals. Wilson’s 2018 interview has now resurfaced amid the controversy.
Wilson’s South Carolina Gamecocks were set to face Cunningham’s Missouri Tigers in a marquee SEC matchup. The Gamecocks star got brutally honest when she was asked about Cunningham’s injury heading into their game.
“No, I have not,” Wilson responded when asked if she was tracking Cunningham’s injury status. “… Yeah, I heard. I have not, honestly. I’m just trying to focus on my team.”
Cunningham recovered from her right knee injury in time for the game. She dominated the contest, finishing with 27 points on 9-of-10 shooting, six rebounds and seven assists. The Tigers upset the Gamecocks, 83-74.
Wilson, meanwhile, was held to eight points and fouled out after just 19 minutes of action.
Wilson and the Aces prevailed in their latest matchup, though. They closed out the Fever in Game 3 of their first-round WNBA playoff series. The Aces superstar turned in an incredible performance to close out the series, finishing with a 36-point, 10-rebound double-double.
The Fever are now gearing up for the offseason as they look to improve their roster for 2027. The Aces, on the other hand, are down 1-0 against the Golden State Valkyries in the semifinals.
