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Sophie Cunningham's Twerk Goes Viral After Fever's Historic Commissioner's Cup Victory
The Indiana Fever just made franchise history, but all eyes were on Sophie Cunningham’s postgame celebration. After the Fever’s stunning 74–59 win over the Minnesota Lynx in the 2025 Commissioner’s Cup final, Fever reserve guard Sophie Cunningham decided to cap the night with some dance-floor flair. As her teammates rejoiced on the court and posed […]
The Indiana Fever just made franchise history, but all eyes were on Sophie Cunningham’s postgame celebration.
After the Fever’s stunning 74–59 win over the Minnesota Lynx in the 2025 Commissioner’s Cup final, Fever reserve guard Sophie Cunningham decided to cap the night with some dance-floor flair. As her teammates rejoiced on the court and posed with the hardware, Cunningham turned her back to the camera, dropped low, and gave the lockeroom and Instagram Live a twerk, a brief but instantly viral moment that ignited a social media firestorm.
Some fans were all for it. Others, not so much.
The Game: A Statement Win Without Caitlin Clark
Indiana’s win was dominant and, more importantly, gritty.
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With All-Star point guard Caitlin Clark sitting out her third straight game due to a groin ailment, the Fever trailed by 13 early in the second quarter. Instead of collapsing, they flipped the switch. The Fever closed the first half on a merciless 18–0 run, turning a 27–14 deficit into a 32–27 lead at halftime and silencing the Minnesota home fans.
From there, it was the Fever’s game. The Fever’s lead grew to 14 in the third quarter, and Minnesota was able to get no closer than six points of catching up again. Indiana’s defense stifled the Lynx, holding them to 34.9% shooting and forcing 16 turnovers.
Seasoned Indiana forward Natasha Howard was the unanimous Cup final MVP with 16 points, 12 rebounds, four assists, and two steals. All-Star center Aliyah Boston was similarly effective at 12 points, 11 rebounds, and six assists. Cunningham started hot off the bench to provide a clutch jolt: 13 points, seven rebounds, and three threes.
“Sophie for the Culture!”: Social Media Reacts to Celebration Heard ‘Round the Timeline
But for many fans watching the game or catching the highlights online, the storyline pivoted from gritty defense to cheeky dancing.
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Sophie Cunningham’s postgame twerk didn’t last more than a few seconds, but it was long enough for the internet to divide into camps.
On X (formerly Twitter), one fan gushed,
“Sophie so cute.”
Another simply wrote,
“Sophie Cunningham. That’s the tweet.”
And of course, someone threw their support behind her completely:
“My fav WNBA player.”
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Yet the celebration had its fair share of detractors and skeptics.
One unimpressed viewer wrote:
“ZERO motion back there. Embarrassing for an athlete.”
Another took issue with the entire concept:
“Why is this the go-to for so many women? I don’t get it. No matter what happens they have to do this dumb shit.”
Another tweet, dripping with sarcasm, read:
“Was the twerking in the room with us..”
Still, others were more playful:
“That little thing moving.”
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And of course, no social media moment is complete without someone shooting their shot:
“I would treat her so well man.”
But the sentiment that seemed to dominate the viral moment?
“Sophie for the culture!”
What This Means for the Fever and Cunningham’s Brand
Though the Commissioner’s Cup is technically a midseason competition and doesn’t affect regular-season standings, the win and the $500,000 prize pool that came with it signal a culture shift for Indiana. The Fever are no longer the rebuilding team anchored solely by Caitlin Clark’s spotlight. They are a unit.Deep.Versatile.Dangerous.
As for Sophie Cunningham, the 28-year-old Missouri alum might not have led the team in scoring, but she certainly led the postgame conversation. The seven-year WNBA veteran has always brought energy and edge to the court, and now, apparently, to the dance floor too.
The Fever Keep It Moving
Head coach Stephanie White was all business postgame.
“We have a resilient group,” White told reporters. “They’re tough – mentally, physically.They pull for one another… It’s nice to take a trophy home, but this isn’t the ultimate goal. It’s a goal. And we’ve got to continue to get better.”
The Fever turn their attention back to the regular season now. They begin a five-game home stand on Thursday by hosting the Las Vegas Aces at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Attendance will be watched closely, both for the game itself and the postgame celebration.
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Sophie Cunningham’s twerking viral moment may have divided folks, but here’s something that’s not debatable: in a league still fighting for relevance in the mainstream, she made sure the Fever’s win was not overlooked.
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And in 2025, half the game at times.
The post Sophie Cunningham’s Twerk Goes Viral After Fever’s Historic Commissioner’s Cup Victory appeared first on Where Is The Buzz | Breaking News, Entertainment, Exclusive Interviews & More.
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Big Brother 27
Everything to know about Jimmy and Ava. Jimmy Heagerty and Ava Pearl on Big Brother season 27. CBS Jimmy Heagerty and Ava Pearl are the two out LGBTQ+ houseguests competing on Big Brother 27 at the moment — and fans have now learned enough about the contestants to break down a list of fun facts […]
Everything to know about Jimmy and Ava.
Jimmy Heagerty and Ava Pearl on Big Brother season 27.
CBS
Jimmy Heagerty and Ava Pearl are the two out LGBTQ+ houseguests competing on Big Brother 27 at the moment — and fans have now learned enough about the contestants to break down a list of fun facts about them.
Only time will tell if Ava and Jimmy will become iconic competitors who’ll enter the pantheon of notable LGBTQ+ houseguests from Big Brother. While we wait and keep “expecting the unexpected” from this cast of BB27 players, here are a few basics for anyone trying to catch up to the queer representatives of the season.
Big Brother 27 contestant Ava Pearl is an aura painter from NYC.
Ava Pearl on Big Brother season 27.
CBS
Originally from Long Island — but a resident of New York City — Ava Pearl is 24 years old and has “aura painter” as her official job description.
“I started doing aura portraits about two years ago,” Ava said in her intro segment on Big Brother season 27. “I was seeing auras around them already, [so] I started drawing people in the park for some extra money.”
Unsurprisingly, it didn’t take long for Ava to start going viral within the BB27 fandom.
Ava has also discussed being bisexual ever since she entered the BB27 home and the Big Brother live feeds went up for the fans to watch. So far, one of the most viral X posts (formerly tweets) associated with her reads:
“I didn’t wanna say it in front of everyone, but this house radiates a chaotic bisexual aura.”
Ava added during her intro segment on Big Brother 27:
“I would say I’m the black sheep of my Long Island family. They are all teachers in the school system. I did get that from them, but I became an art teacher: I love everything 60s, everything flower power, everything go-go and amazing.”
Is she athletic? “No,” Ava explained, “but you have to be competitive to be an artist living in this city, and I’m ready to take those skills into the Big Brother house. As a starving artist, I need this money.”
Here’s where to follow BB27’s Ava on Instagram.
Big Brother 27 fans can follow Ava on Instagram at @childofvenusandmars.
Big Brother 27 star Jimmy Heagerty works in Washington, D.C. and got fired during the Trump administration.
Jimmy Heagerty on Big Brother season 27.
CBS
Jimmy Heagerty is a 25-year-old strategy consultant — more specifically an AI consultant — who’s been living and working in Washington, D.C.
“2025 has been a very stressful year,” Jimmy said during his intro segment on Big Brother. “I used to work for the federal government… And then bam, our contract is terminated. And how do I find out? Twitter!”
In reference to the meme above: Paulie Calafiore came out as bisexual, not as gay. Meanwhile, Hisam Goueli does identify as gay, as does Jimmy. Nonetheless, it is true that all three men won the Head of Household (HOH) competition in week 2 of their respective Big Brother seasons.
Jimmy’s intro segment continued with him explaining that “whether it’s professional or personal, I’ve always had to use strategy to get what I want, and I’m bringing that level of manipulation into the Big Brother house.”
When asked if he’ll lie about his profession while competing on BB27, Jimmy explained that he “can’t tell everybody I have a professional strategy background.” So, what will he say instead? “I was playing competitive tennis for 15, 16 years,” he reasoned. “So, essentially, I’m just going to tell everybody in the Big Brother house that I’m a tennis coach.”
Jimmy — who’s originally from Sarasota, Florida — also revealed that Frankie Grande is one of his biggest LGBTQ+ idols from the Big Brother franchise.
“My mom and I used to watch Big Brother as long as I could really remember,” Jimmy explained. “I got to watch Frankie Grande [as a] loud and proud gay man being successful. He showed me that I had a future and I could be anything I wanted to be.”
Toward the end of his intro segment on Big Brother, Jimmy declared that “The biggest game out there is American government and politics, and I’m ready to bring that energy into the Big Brother house.”
Here’s where to follow BB27’s Jimmy on Instagram.
Big Brother 27 fans can follow Jimmy on Instagram at @jimmyheagerty.
The cast of houseguests competing on Big Brother 27.
CBS
Jimmy and Ava are the only two out LGBTQ+ players competing on Big Brother 27. Unless another contestant comes out in the middle of the season (which would be unusual), these are the queer competitors of the season. So, if you’re an LGBTQ+ fan of the show who enjoys rooting to root for houseguests representing the community, you’ve now found this year’s two out queer BB27 stars!
Big Brother season 27 airs new episodes every Thursday, Friday, and Sunday on CBS, as well as streaming on Paramount+.
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Lancaster City Track Club enters 13th summer of sending athletes to AAU Junior Olympics
Genesis Castro is a proponent for keeping her eyes forward, never revisiting past shortcomings. The recent McCaskey graduate has maintained the approach throughout her throwing career with the Red Tornado track and field team. The mindset helped her strike PIAA Class 3A discus gold in 2024. Additional honors glimmer and sparkle at home. But Castro […]
Genesis Castro is a proponent for keeping her eyes forward, never revisiting past shortcomings.
The recent McCaskey graduate has maintained the approach throughout her throwing career with the Red Tornado track and field team. The mindset helped her strike PIAA Class 3A discus gold in 2024. Additional honors glimmer and sparkle at home.
But Castro admits there’s a fire stoked in her stomach. She’s on her last shot, her final chance. She wants that exclamation point.
Castro is one of 12 Lancaster City Track Club members who are traveling to the AAU Junior Olympics this weekend in Houston, Texas. It’s her swan song in Lancaster — and with many of her former McCaskey teammates — before she sets sail for Monmouth this fall.
“I’ve had a little bit of a rough season,” Castro said, “so I’m just hoping I can at least peak, if not at least get moderately close. … I’m definitely trying to end my high school career, my track and field career, on a good note. Even if things go wrong, I just really want to go out there, give whatever I can, and hopefully come back with something.”
This summer’s edition of the AAU Junior Olympics marks the 13th year of participation for the LCTC. With the help of groups like the Lancaster Police Athletic League, coach Derek Jennings and his staff have been able to provide a competitive avenue, a safe haven for hundreds of kids.
“One of the things I like about the club is it gives kids an outlet over the summer where some of them don’t have a good outlet, and you pick up bad habits,” Jennings said. “But then secondly, I think on trips like nationals, you’re showing kids that when you work hard, good things can happen from that.”
