Sophie Cunningham and Lexie Hull Turn Heads in Viral 'Howdy Cowboy' Looks Amid Fever Blowout Loss
After being infamously struck by a sexually explicit toy thrown from the stands during a road loss to the Los Angeles Sparks earlier this week, the Indiana Fever forward didn't sulk. Instead, she is staging a cheeky and calculated PR pivot, leaning into humor, charisma, and a bit of provocative flair to reclaim the narrative.
And now, she has brought backup.
Cunningham and Hull Go Full Rodeo Glam in Viral Pregame Fit
Ahead of Thursday night's game in Phoenix, Sophie Cunningham and her Fever teammate Lexie Hull stepped out of their team hotel looking like they were headed to a WNBA honky-tonk rather than a basketball court. Dressed in matching yellow 'Howdy Cowboy' crop tops and light denim bottoms, Cunningham in classic Daisy Dukes and Hull in a miniskirt, the duo strutted into PHX Arena in a confident display of unity, sass, and maybe a little protest chic.
Cunningham opted for black cowboy boots, while Hull rocked red. The duo's twin looks were so striking that even the Indiana Fever's official Instagram, in a shared post with the WNBA, couldn't resist the caption:
'seeing double
… Lexie Hull & Sophie Cunningham popped out in matching fits for tonight's game in Phoenix
'
It was a clever aesthetic statement that instantly set social media ablaze.
WNBA Toy-Throwing Controversy Reaches Boiling Point
The Fever's rising star, Cunningham, has been at the center of one of the season's most bizarre controversies: fan-thrown R-rated toys. During Indiana's Tuesday night loss to the Los Angeles Sparks, one such item landed on the court near Cunningham, even after tweeted about the disgusting WNBA game trend right now:
'Stop throwing d****s on the court.'
Rather than allow the vulgarity to define her, Cunningham fired back with a stream of self-deprecating social media posts and, on her off-day, an exuberant solo TikTok dance filmed in her Phoenix home. Yes, she still lives there despite being traded to Indiana last offseason. She also moonlights as a Suns analyst in the offseason. Multi-talented queen.
But Thursday's twin-themed fashion moment officially turned damage control into full-on pop culture performance art.
Unfortunately, the Fashion Was the Highlight
Despite the viral hype and fanfare, the Fever's performance on the court didn't match the heat of their outfits. The Phoenix Mercury handed Indiana a brutal 90–65 beatdown in what many dubbed the 'DeWanna Bonner Revenge Game.'
Caitlin Clark, still sidelined with her second groin injury of the 2025 season, did not play and has yet to comment on the night's events, on or off the court. With the Fever's five-game win streak now snapped and their star player still in street clothes, morale looked shaky heading into the end of their four-game road trip.
WNBA Fans Are Eating It Up… and Tearing It Down
As expected, reactions to the matching 'Howdy Cowboy' look were loud, lusty, and divided.
'Unapologetically a Fever fan,' one person commented.
'Didn't know it snowed in Phoenix,' joked another, presumably referencing the icy-hot combo of the duo's style and demeanor.
'Yo maybe the WNBA isn't so bad
' someone else wrote, perhaps capturing the attention of a new type of viewer.
Others, however, criticized the moment, saying:
'Their own team and fans sexualize them to the max and they are so happy, you can't be more hollow.'
Another person added, 'Got they ass beat, Mercury don't care nothing bout that…'
Still, one commenter pointed out a hilarious twist in team dynamics:
'Sophie looks more like Lexie's sister in this picture than Laci does and Laci is her identical twin
lmao'
Best Friends or Competition? Both
Though Cunningham and Hull have technically been battling for minutes, with Hull being benched when Cunningham was inserted into the starting lineup in Clark's absence, the duo appear closer than ever. Thursday's twinning moment solidified a strong bond that goes beyond rotations and stats.
On the court, both have been crucial to Indiana's 17-13 record prior to Thursday's blowout. Cunningham is averaging 8.0 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 1.0 steals per game. Hull is putting up 6.6 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game.
Friendship, not friction, seems to be their answer to adversity.
The post Sophie Cunningham and Lexie Hull Turn Heads in Viral 'Howdy Cowboy' Looks Amid Fever Blowout Loss appeared first on Where Is The Buzz | Breaking News, Entertainment, Exclusive Interviews & More.
Solve the daily Crossword
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
18 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Vinnie Pasquantino's sacrifice fly
Vinnie Pasquantino skies a sacrifice fly to left field, scoring Maikel Garcia to give the Royals a 1-0 lead in the 1st
Yahoo
18 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Crowned in Queens: Pete Alonso becomes Mets' all-time HR leader
NEW YORK — Move over, Darryl Strawberry. There's a new home run king in Queens, and his name is Pete Alonso. On Tuesday, Alonso etched his name in the Mets' record books with a single a swing. His third inning home run, No. 253 in his career, surpasses Strawberry's all-time franchise home run record (252). Alonso is no stranger to the record books. In his rookie season, in 2019, he surprised the baseball world when he broke Yankees slugger Aaron Judge's single-season rookie home run record (52) just two seasons earlier. Alonso's 53 home runs remain the single-season record to this day. Next up is the franchise RBI record, which is held by the most recent addition to the Mets' Hall of Fame, David Wright (970 RBIs). Alonso is third on the all-time franchise list with 702 RBIs. That's 298 shy of Wright's record and 64 shy of Strawberry (733 RBIs), who's in second place. Alonso is currently in the first year of a two-year, $54 million contract, which includes a player opt-out. After this season, when he proved to be a force in MLB, batting .267 with 27 home runs and 95 RBIs, third in MLB, the veteran first baseman will likely opt out for more cash. A legend in his own right, he deserves it. Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting us with a subscription. Manny Gómez may be reached at mgomez@
Yahoo
18 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Astros' closer Josh Hader headed to 15-day IL with left shoulder strain
The Houston Astros made a splash last month when they reunited with three-time All-Star Carlos Correa. But the Astros didn't come away from the trade deadline with a new reliever. Now they've lost their best one to the 15-day IL. Six-time All-Star Josh Hader, who is currently tied for third in MLB with 28 saves, will have to recover from a left shoulder strain before he returns to the mound, where he's posted a 6-2 record and 2.05 ERA in 48 games this season. The lefty closer reported shoulder discomfort ahead of Monday's game against the Boston Red Sox. "It's [a] punch in the gut,' Astros manager Joe Espada said, per The Associated Press. 'But ... he's seeing doctors right now. We're getting more tests done and hopefully this is not going to be a long-term thing." Hader recorded a season-high 36 pitches across two innings Friday in New York during a 5-3 win that was settled in the 10th frame. That marked his seventh multi-inning appearance of the season. He also warmed up down the stretch of Sunday's series finale, but his number wasn't called while the Astros wrapped up a 7-1 win. Hader is in the second year of his five-year, $95 million deal with Houston. He set a franchise record by starting the season 25 for 25 in save opportunities. Entering the week, he was tied for second among all AL relievers in strikeouts, according to With Hader out, Espada isn't planning on naming a replacement closer. Instead he told reporters that he'll dispatch certain relievers from his bullpen in those situations depending on matchups. 'I feel good about all those guys,' Espada said. It's a group that welcomed back right-handed reliever Shawn Dubin, who was reinstated from the 15-day IL Tuesday. The Astros also recalled lefty Colton Gordon from Triple-A Sugar Land. After bouncing back from a 2-8 stretch that started on July 24 and ended on Aug. 3, the 67-52 Astros went into Tuesday night with a one-game lead over the Seattle Mariners in the AL West.