Indiana Fever forward Chloe Bibby (55), guard Caitlin Clark (22) and guard Sophie Cunningham (8) cheer during Game 4 of the WNBA semifinals on Sunday, Sept. 28, 2025, at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. The Fever defeated the Aces 90-83.
The post was meant to celebrate the Fever’s “bench mob,” a nickname Bibby, Caitlin Clark, and Sophie Cunningham have given themselves while rehabbing injuries. Most of the pictures were lighthearted glimpses of the three on the sidelines, but one animated edit struck a nerve.
It showed Bibby, Clark, and Cunningham facing off with a Black male police officer. Fans immediately tied it back to Game 3 of Indiana’s first-round series against Atlanta, when Cunningham got into a tense exchange with arena security after refusing to back up past half court. That original moment involved a female officer, but the swap in Bibby’s post drew criticism for its racial undertones.
Aug 31, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (center left) talks with forward Chloe Bibby (right) before the game against the Golden State Valkyries at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images
The reactions from fans were harsh. By Saturday night, Bibby deleted the image and issued a public apology.
“Really sorry if I offended anyone with my post. That’s not who I am and I need to do a better job at understanding the racial undertones and issues within this country. No excuse, I need to educate myself in this area and I will,” Bibby posted.
Photo credits: Instagram
Caitlin Clark reacts to Bibby’s controversial post
Before Bibby locked down the comments, Caitlin Clark had already jumped in with a one-line response that didn’t exactly match the backlash pouring in.
“Bibssssss,” Clark wrote.
Photo credits: Instagram
Cunningham, who was actually in the original Atlanta run-in, hasn’t said anything publicly about the post. Fans, however, made their feelings clear, calling the choice of image tone-deaf and unnecessary, especially in the middle of the Fever’s playoff push.
Indiana Fever forward Chloe Bibby (55), guard Caitlin Clark (22) and guard Sophie Cunningham (8) cheer during Game 4 of the WNBA semifinals on Sunday, Sept. 28, 2025, at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. The Fever defeated the Aces 90-83.
Bibby joined Indiana in July and only managed nine games before her injury, averaging 4.8 points and 1.8 rebounds in limited minutes. She’s still a visible presence on the bench, though, cheering alongside Clark and Cunningham as the Fever try to extend their postseason run.
Now, attention shifts back to basketball. Indiana faces the defending champion Las Vegas Aces in a do-or-die Game 5 on Tuesday night. A win would send the Fever to the WNBA Finals—an opportunity that hasn’t come around in nearly a decade.
Sep 16, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) celebrates during game two of round one against the Atlanta Dream for the 2025 WNBA Playoffs at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images
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Dan has been active in sports since 2016 and has worked behind the scenes as a scriptwriter for basketball, volleyball, and other sports. At a time, Dan has also been working as a sports commentator for CBA Pilipinas. During the pandemic, he has also been actively writing betting articles for CashBet and BetNow.
Dan has been active in sports since 2016 and has worked behind the scenes as a scriptwriter for basketball, volleyball, and other sports. At a time, Dan has also been working as a sports commentator for CBA Pilipinas. During the pandemic, he has also been actively writing betting articles for CashBet and BetNow.
