Caitlin Clark is the face of the WNBA, the generational talent whose star power has lifted the entire league to new heights. According to her Indiana Fever teammate, Sophie Cunningham, she is also a target. In a fiery and revealing podcast appearance, Cunningham has publicly sounded the alarm, declaring that the relentless physicality Clark endures on a nightly basis has crossed the line from tough basketball into something far more dangerous, and she is putting the league on notice that she is ready to play the part of enforcer.

Since Clark’s explosive arrival in the WNBA, the aggressive defense she faces has been a constant topic of debate. Hard screens, bumping off the ball, and flagrant fouls have become a regular feature of her games. While some chalk it up to a “welcome to the pros” mentality, Cunningham is arguing it’s much more sinister.

“Every rookie gets tested, I get it,” Cunningham stated on the “Show Me Something” podcast. “But there’s just more for her. Now being on her team and seeing it every single night, I’m like, ‘What are people doing?’ It’s just too much. I’m over it.”

Cunningham, a tough veteran in her own right, has quickly emerged as the team’s protector. She described locker-room talks from her time on other teams where the game plan was specifically to “show her what the W really is.” But now, seeing it from the inside, she insists the on-court reality goes beyond a simple strategy to be physical. She described a pattern of off-ball cheap shots, overly aggressive closeouts on her jump shot, and a level of contact that seems designed to inflict damage rather than just prevent a basket.

“It’s not basketball, it’s dangerous,” she asserted, her frustration palpable. “You see players taking shots at her that have nothing to do with making a play on the ball. The league needs to get a handle on it before something serious happens.”

Her comments carry extra weight given that Clark only recently returned to the lineup after being sidelined with a groin injury. The timing of Cunningham’s public outcry is no coincidence; she is connecting the dots for everyone to see. The unspoken message is that the league’s failure to curb the aggressive play directly contributed to its biggest star getting hurt.

Cunningham’s frustration isn’t just with the opposing players; it’s with the officiating. She, along with many fans and even other players, feels the referees are not doing enough to protect Clark. There’s a prevailing theory that the league is so worried about accusations of giving Clark preferential “star treatment” that they’ve allowed the pendulum to swing too far in the other direction, leaving her vulnerable.

In the face of this perceived inaction, Cunningham has embraced the role of Clark’s personal bodyguard. Earlier this season, she was involved in a heated on-court scuffle while defending Clark, making it clear that any aggression toward the superstar would be met with an equal and opposite reaction from her teammates. She revealed that after that incident, a relieved Clark told her in the locker room, “Finally! Finally, someone else stands up for me.” To which Cunningham simply replied, “Dude, I got you.”

The public declaration has forced a difficult and uncomfortable conversation for the WNBA. Is the physical treatment of Caitlin Clark simply a product of her greatness—the same kind of tough defense that legends like Michael Jordan and LeBron James faced—or is it tinged with something else? Is it jealousy from veteran players resentful of her instant stardom? Is it an implicit strategy to neutralize her by any means necessary?

Cunningham’s explosive comments have put the WNBA in a difficult position. If they instruct officials to tighten up the games, they risk being seen as caving to pressure and giving Clark an unfair advantage. If they do nothing, they risk a catastrophic injury to the player who is single-handedly driving league revenue and viewership. Sophie Cunningham has made it clear she will protect her teammate on the court. The question now is whether the league will finally step up and protect its most valuable asset.