TORONTO — Fever guard Sophie Cunningham drew two rounds of boos when she checked into Indiana’s game against the Toronto Tempo on Tuesday. There was a mixed response of boos and cheers as Cunningham got off the visitors’ bench and removed her warm-up gear. When it was announced that she had officially checked into the game for the first time there was a louder round of boos at Scotiabank Arena. Cunningham has become a political lightning rod since she said in an interview with ESPN that WNBA players shouldn’t have to play against “biological men,” referring to transgender women. There are currently no openly transgender women in the WNBA or playing NCAA women’s basketball. About a dozen demonstrators supporting Cunningham held signs and a flag outside Scotiabank Arena before the game. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 18, 2026 The Canadian Press
