During a recent podcast appearance, Caitlin Clark’s teammate Sophie Cunningham came out in support of Clark by slamming critics who doubt her status as the face of the WNBA.

Sophie Cunningham has embraced the role of enforcer when it comes to protecting her teammate Caitlin Clark. Cunningham reaffirmed her support during a recent appearance on the “Show Me Something” podcast.

The Indiana Fever forward directly addressed the critics who claimed Clark wasn’t the face of the WNBA and slammed them by saying:

“It literally pisses me off when people are like, ‘She’s not the face of the league.’  What?! There are really good, well-known people in our league. I’m not discrediting them. We have a lot of badasses in our league. I’m all for that. But when people are trying to argue that she’s not the face of our league, or if our league would be where we’re at without her, you’re dumb as s**t, you’re literally dumb as f**k.”

The 23-year-old star has been a sensation in the WNBA. In just her sophomore season, Clark is already considered one of the best players in the game.

From her performance on the court to her star power off it, Clark’s rise has been immensely beneficial for the WNBA. Her presence has such a profound impact that ratings have reportedly dropped by as much as 50% when she’s sidelined by injury.

Still, several naysayers and critics continue to discredit what the Fever guard stands for. Some of her most vocal doubters are current players, many of whom tend to downplay her impact on the league. In some cases, this seems aimed at redirecting the spotlight toward themselves or their teams.

Clark has had a target on her back because of this. Amid the criticism, the frequent rough play and hard fouls have made Cunningham’s protective role all the more essential.

Because of this, the Fever forward also has a unique relationship with her teammate, presenting a different perspective on Clark’s personality. She said:

“She’s just goofy. Everyone expects her to be a certain way, and she is on the court, but she’s lowkey a kid. She’s 23 years old, she’s like my little cousin.”

Unsurprisingly, Clark’s brilliance has elevated the Fever’s performance. Cunningham also admitted that the guard’s influence has helped her improve, particularly since their playing styles complement each other.

With Clark on the court, Indiana has been quite successful this season, logging a record of eight wins and five losses. Since Clark’s recent groin injury, the Fever have managed to stay level, notching three wins and two losses in their last five games.