Sophie Cunningham has a two-word answer for critics who want her out of Indiana ahead of the Fever guard's free agency period. On her No Hesitation podcast, the WNBA firebrand responded to a recent column from The Athletic's Candace Buckner urged the team to move on from her this offseason, telling detractors to "suck it" before moving on to playoff talk.
What did 'The Athletic' Say About Cunningham's Impact in Indiana?
Buckner's piece framed Cunningham as too polarizing to play alongside Caitlin Clark, pointing to her comments on transgender athletes in women's sports as a distraction. But the guard's co-host Drew Hanlen pushed back on what he called an "absolute hate piece," noting Cunningham ranked fourth in the WNBA in effective field goal percentage and was a Top 5 bench scorer this season.
"If you're going to live by the praise, you're going to die by the hate," Cunningham said on the latest episode, adding that her value goes beyond the stat sheet.
"The majority of these people have never picked up a ball in their entire lives, and they’re just, like, thirsty to have attention or be relevant in some type of way. No matter what anyone says to me, I’m going to continue to do me. I know what I bring to the table."
Cunningham Hints at Fever Future During Free Agency
Despite the noise, Fever GM Amber Cox told reporters that outside speculation won't influence how Indiana evaluates its roster. Cunningham averaged 7.9 points and shot 41.9% from three in 2026 before the Fever fell to the Las Vegas Aces in a first-round playoff exit.
Now an unrestricted free agent, Cunningham posted on X that "everything happens in its own time," a signal she's in no rush to force her next chapter ahead of the 2027 WNBA free agency window.
