The WNBPA has drawn a clear line around Sophie Cunningham’s viral point: the gesture can spread across social media, but it will not be turned into licensed merchandise through the union’s partners. That means the moment remains part of the online sports conversation, even if the WNBPA is not looking to cash in on it through its group licensing system.
The reaction comes after the image from the June 24 game between the Mercury and Indiana Fever raced around the internet and turned into a meme. Cunningham and DeWanna Bonner pointed at one another during an on-court scuffle, and the clip quickly became one of the most recognisable images from the night.
Why the WNBPA stepped in
The key point is that the WNBPA has a group licensing agreement with all WNBA players, allowing brand partners to license players’ name, image and likeness without having to negotiate directly with each player. Its partners include 2K, Breaking T, Lids and Panini, but the union has made clear that it does not generally look to monetise player conduct from a confrontation between its members for licensed apparel.
A WNBPA spokesperson said: “For licensed apparel, we generally do not feature or look to monetize player conduct from a confrontation between our members.”
That is the line the union appears to be holding. The image may be everywhere, but the WNBPA does not want its licensing arm turning an in-game confrontation into an official product.
Cunningham is still leaning into the moment
That does not mean Cunningham herself is stepping away from the attention. She has continued to acknowledge how widely the clip has travelled, saying: “I think everyone around the world is posting it.”
She added: “Every company has done it.”
And on July 3, Cunningham made clear she did not think too deeply about the White House account using the image in late June, saying: “They’re just the one to also get on board, and so I didn’t really think twice about it.” She also said: “I think they’re just another group who is posting about it.”
That leaves the situation in an interesting place. The viral point has clearly become part of Cunningham’s public profile, and she has nearly a million Instagram followers to tap into if she chooses to keep engaging with it. But the WNBPA’s decision means there is a difference between a player embracing a meme and a union-led licensing push built around it.
The broader context matters too. Earlier in the June 24 game, Alyssa Thomas struck Caitlin Clark in the throat and was retroactively suspended, which only added to the intensity around a game that produced plenty of talking points. Later, Cunningham also appeared as a guest ring girl at UFC 329, another reminder that she is willing to lean into the attention rather than hide from it.
For now, though, the answer to the key question is straightforward: the WNBPA is not letting licensees use the viral gesture on licensed products, even if the moment continues to circulate freely online. Cunningham can still attach herself to the attention, but the union has made sure that official merchandise is a step too far.
