Sophie Cunningham reveals how she feels about White House using her finger-pointing meme originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Sophie Cunningham never expected one silent gesture during a heated WNBA game to become one of the internet’s biggest memes.
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Now, the Indiana Fever guard is embracing the moment.
Speaking to reporters after Friday’s practice, Cunningham was asked what it’s been like watching herself become a viral sensation over the past week following her now-famous finger-pointing exchange with Phoenix Mercury veteran DeWanna Bonner. Her response showed she has been enjoying the ride, even if she didn’t realize just how big it had become.
Sophie Cunningham calls viral fame “so goofy”
Cunningham laughed when asked about becoming a meme in real time.
“It’s so goofy,” she said. “Everyone… it’s getting worldwide views now.”
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The Fever guard admitted she hasn’t been able to keep up with everything herself because she’s been recovering from an illness that kept her away from recent practices.
Instead, she’s had someone else filling her in.
“My mom is keeping me up to date on everything,” Cunningham said with a smile.
The moment has spread far beyond basketball, appearing across sports pages, social media accounts, brands and countless fan-made edits over the past several days.
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Cunningham already has a favorite meme
With so many versions of the finger-pointing meme circulating online, Cunningham was asked which one stood out the most. She didn’t hesitate.
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“Statue of Liberty,” she said.
“Dude, that is my favorite one. I feel like we need to change that statue.”
The edited image replaces the Statue of Liberty’s traditional pose with Cunningham’s now-famous finger point, one of dozens of creative versions that have surfaced since last week’s game against the Phoenix Mercury.
The image has become one of the internet’s favorite adaptations of the moment.
Even the White House got involved
Perhaps the clearest sign the meme has escaped the sports world came when the White House’s official X account posted its own version earlier this week. The post incorporated video from Cunningham’s “Show Me Something” podcast before transitioning into an edited clip featuring President Donald Trump making a similar pointing gesture.
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When asked whether she’d seen it, Cunningham didn’t make much of it.
“I think everyone around the world is posting it,” she said.
“Every company has done it.”
“So I don’t really think twice about it. I just think they’re another group posting about it.”
Rather than focusing on who is sharing it, Cunningham seemed more amused by just how widespread the meme has become.
One unforgettable moment keeps getting bigger
The viral phenomenon traces back to Indiana’s game against the Mercury, when Cunningham and Bonner found themselves in a lengthy finger-pointing standoff following a heated exchange late in the fourth quarter.
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Neither player said much during the moment. Instead, the two stood pointing at one another for more than 20 seconds before officials stepped in and assessed technical fouls.
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The image immediately exploded across social media. Since then, fans have recreated the pose, brands have incorporated it into marketing campaigns and countless internet users have found new ways to adapt the moment into memes.
Cunningham later explained on her podcast that she continued pointing simply because she realized it was irritating Bonner. Now, what began as an emotional moment during a WNBA game has become one of the league’s most recognizable viral moments of the season. Judging by Cunningham’s reaction on Friday, she’s just as entertained by it as everyone else.
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