Key Takeaways
- Sophie Cunningham dismissed questions about her value to the Indiana Fever, saying, “If you’re going to live by the praise, you’re going to die by the hate.”
- The guard said her impact goes beyond the stat sheet, even as she averaged just under eight points per game in 2026, and her physical defense and support for Caitlin Clark have made her a fan favorite.
- Cunningham’s profile has expanded through her opposition to transgender women competing in women’s sports, a Sports Illustrated Swimsuit appearance, a UFC cameo, and potential WWE opportunities.
Sophie Cunningham has a message for critics who think her controversies have become more of a story than her basketball career: She doesn’t care what they think, and she doesn't need a stat sheet to justify her place in the WNBA.
The Indiana Fever guard fired back on her No Hesitation podcast with basketball trainer Drew Hanlen after The Athletic published an opinion column questioning whether Indiana should keep her on its roster. The column described Cunningham as "too combustible" and suggested that her off-court notoriety had eclipsed her contributions to a team featuring Caitlin Clark.
"I literally don't even care what anybody says about me anymore, because I've said this so many times — if you're going to live by the praise, you're going to die by the hate," Cunningham said.
She wasn't finished.
"No matter what anybody says to me, I'm going to continue to do me," she continued. "I know what I bring to the table; it's not always in the stat sheet."
The criticism centered partly on Cunningham's scoring. The Athletic pointed to her average of fewer than eight points per game while questioning whether the attention surrounding her had become a liability for Indiana.
WNBA statistics show Cunningham averaged just under eight points per game during the 2026 season, roughly matching her career average. However, her rebounding and assist averages fell below her career marks.
Cunningham has previously challenged the suggestion that her public controversies interfere with her performance.
"I've been locked in," she told reporters in August while responding to questions about the distractions surrounding her. "Look at the stats, look at our team stats."
Her reputation as a physical defender and outspoken teammate helped establish her popularity after she arrived in Indiana from the Phoenix Mercury. Cunningham drew attention for confronting opposing players during heated moments involving Caitlin Clark, earning a reputation as one of the Fever's enforcers.
But her public profile has increasingly extended beyond basketball.
"I got a lot of negative feedback about me hating trans," she said. "And I'm like, 'I never once said that.'"
She added that she wanted to "protect young girls in a locker room, or young girls in sport who shouldn't have to go against biological men."
Her comments drew criticism from Megan Rapinoe and prompted protests outside WNBA games. Cunningham subsequently appeared alongside former collegiate swimmer Riley Gaines, an outspoken opponent of transgender participation in women's sports.
More recently, Cunningham praised Washington high school athletes who protested a transgender runner's participation in a girls' cross-country meet. After apparel company XX-XY Athletics shared footage of the October 13 demonstration, Cunningham commented, "Good work girls."
