Indiana Fever forward Sophie Cunningham has stepped back from comments she made earlier this week about the WNBA’s decision to award new franchises to Detroit and Cleveland. Speaking after practice, the outspoken guard said her words were never meant to disrespect either city or their long ties to women’s pro basketball, but simply to share her personal preference for potential teams in Miami or Nashville, places she thinks many players would find appealing off the court.
Cunningham’s original remarks—“I don’t know how excited people are to be going to Detroit or Cleveland”—quickly drew online criticism. Two days later, she clarified that she values what both cities have contributed to the league’s growth, noting that each previously hosted a WNBA club. “I get the history,” she said, “and I’m thankful for it. I was only talking about lifestyle—Broadway in Nashville sounds fun; playing in Miami sounds fun.”
The 2025 expansion list includes Cleveland, Detroit, and Philadelphia, while bids from Nashville, St. Louis, Austin, Houston, and Miami fell short. Cunningham acknowledged she was disappointed by the backlash but not entirely surprised. “The same people who cheer you on are the ones who can shoot you down,” she remarked, adding that she tries to stay even-keeled no matter how fiercely opinions swing.
A Missouri native and former star for the Tigers, Cunningham entered the league as a 2019 second-round pick of the Phoenix Mercury. Now in her first season with Indiana, she recently helped the Fever capture the Commissioner’s Cup Championship over the Minnesota Lynx. Through the season’s midpoint, she is averaging 5.3 points and 4 rebounds while embracing a glue-player role alongside top rookie talent.
Cunningham closed by reiterating her respect for blue-collar fan bases—“That’s where I come from”—and emphasizing that her initial statement was never meant as a slight. “People are going to love you or hate you,” she said with a shrug, “so I just keep being me.”
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