Sophie Cunningham has reached the point in her WNBA career where every single performance she has is analyzed by countless fans across the country.
When it comes to her production, Cunningham has been a fine contributor for the Indiana Fever this season. She’s averaging 8.6 points on 44.4% shooting from the 3-point line. Her biggest headline this year though has nothing to do with the 2026 WNBA season. Back in July, she spoke to ESPN about protecting women’s sports from transgender inclusion.
“I got a lot of negative feedback about me hating trans,” Cunningham told ESPN. “And I’m like, ‘I never once said that.’ I think that I am here to extend love. But I also think with that love is truth, being honest. And I want to protect young girls in a locker room, or young girls in sport who shouldn’t have to go against biological men.”
Since making those remarks, Cunningham has been booed heavily by a handful of WNBA fan bases. On the flip side, there have also been pro-Cunningham rallies outside of WNBA arenas.
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On Thursday night, Cunningham went viral because of her lackluster performance against the Dallas Wings. Despite being on the floor for 15 minutes, she failed to record a single point, assist or rebound.
After Cunningham was shut out from the boxscore, some WNBA fans declared that she should leave the league after the 2026 season.
“No way Sophie Cunningham is on a WNBA roster in 2027,” one fan said. “This is horrific stuff.
“Sophie Cunningham knows she’s going to be out of the league soon. She wants to get a platform outside of basketball,” a second fan wrote.
“If it was a purely basketball decision she wouldn’t be in the W,” another fan declared.
“Sophie Cunningham scored 0 points in 15 minutes for the Fever tonight. Thought I’d share these stats, since she wants us to talk about basketball now,” a social media user wrote.
What’s Sophie Cunningham’s contract situation?
Even though Cunningham expressed her desire to sign a long-term deal with the Fever, she only received a one-year contract last offseason.
“It’s tough, because I came off an injury, and I haven’t been in front of any teams. I had a lot going on this offseason,” Cunningham said. “I was fully cleared, they had all the doctors, they had the numbers and everything. But if you don’t get in front of these people, it’s like, ‘Hey, are you actually good?’
“I’m not even gonna lie to you, though, it’s a little, kind of, frustrating. Because I’m someone who, I kind of shoot it straight. If I wasn’t feeling good or was hesitant, I think I would have said something and been honest. Because I’m just at the point in my career where I just want to win. I just want to win. And so I’m not going to put my ego in front of things. And I know it is a business, but I just think I’m wired a little differently. I don’t know. I just want to win.”
If the Fever choose to move on from Cunningham next offseason, there’s a good chance another team will pick her up. Despite all the controversy surrounding her, she’s a reliable sharpshooter who can provide a spark off the bench.
