Sophie Cunningham didn’t disappoint with her reply to Caitlin Clark regarding the Payton Pritchard incident

Sophie Cunningham weighed in on the now-viral Caitlin Clark–Payton Pritchard comparison, and her reaction struck the perfect balance between loyalty, honesty, and humor.

Clark’s first appearance on a national NBA broadcast at Madison Square Garden on Sunday night quickly produced a moment that took on a life of its own online. During NBC’s coverage of the Lakers–Knicks game, Indiana Pacers great Reggie Miller was asked to name an NBA player whose game reminded him of the Indiana Fever superstar. His answer — Boston Celtics guard Payton Pritchard — immediately raised eyebrows, especially after Clark’s on-camera reaction appeared less than enthusiastic.

Miller explained his reasoning by pointing to Pritchard’s ball-handling, clutch shooting, and fearlessness in big moments, adding that Clark shared those same qualities and was destined to be a champion. While the comparison was meant as praise, many fans felt it undersold Clark’s stature as a generational talent.

On the latest episode of her Show Me Something podcast, Clark’s Fever teammate Sophie Cunningham addressed the moment directly. Cunningham was quick to defend Miller’s intentions, describing him as “the best” and suggesting there was no disrespect behind his words.

Having gotten to know Miller personally, Cunningham said she didn’t believe he meant any offense. Still, she admitted that the comparison itself missed the mark. With a grin, she noted that Clark is a rare, once-in-a-generation player, and that labeling her game alongside that of a role player — even a very good one — wasn’t quite right.

Cunningham also pushed back against the idea that Clark was genuinely upset by the comment. Despite widespread speculation on social media, she said she didn’t think Clark took the comparison personally or felt insulted by it. At the same time, she acknowledged that if she were making the call, she wouldn’t have drawn that parallel.

The situation seemed to resolve itself naturally when Clark leaned into the humor of it all. On Tuesday night, she reacted on X to a buzzer-beating shot by Pritchard during the Celtics’ win over the Dallas Mavericks, replying with three smirking emojis — a lighthearted nod that suggested there were no hard feelings.

Between Cunningham’s measured take and Clark’s playful response, the episode ultimately came off as more amusing than controversial. Still, it highlighted just how closely Clark is scrutinized — and how high the expectations are — now that she’s firmly established as one of the most influential figures in basketball today.