After Tuesday afternoon’s shootaround, Sophie Cunningham was happy to talk about something other than the transgender athlete controversy that has followed the WNBA in recent months.
Instead of that divisive issue, the Indiana Fever guard was asked about a different aspect of her growing profile and whether those qualities are helping bring new eyes to women’s basketball.
Sophie Cunningham Discusses Role of Fashion, Self-Expression in WNBA’s Booming Popularity and Inspiring the Youth
Lately, Cunningham has made headlines for less-than-ideal reasons. Over the past two months, her unwavering stance on protecting women from competing against “biological men” has sparked an uproar, with protests from both sides of the debate following some of the Fever’s recent games.
But Tuesday offered a chance to focus on another side of Cunningham’s appeal.
Asked how her fashion, personality, and self-expression have helped attract attention to the WNBA, Cunningham embraced the question and pointed to something bigger than herself.
“I absolutely love that question because I really do think it’s about representation and it’s for the young girls and the young boys to see someone who maybe is where they’re from, who looks like them, who was raised how they were raised, to show that they can do whatever they want, do whatever they set their mind to,” Cunningham said.
Since joining the Fever in 2025, Cunningham has emerged as one of the league’s biggest and certainly most polarizing personalities. Her national profile first began to rise when she became one of Caitlin Clark’s most visible supporters and defenders.
That relationship produced another viral moment in June when Cunningham created the now-famous finger-pointing meme while defending Clark. The moment spread well beyond basketball, with companies and even the White House joining the conversation.
Yet Cunningham was quick to make clear that she does not see herself as the only WNBA player capable of inspiring the next generation.
The veteran guard stressed that the league is filled with players who give young girls and boys reasons to dream bigger, whether through their personalities, backgrounds, fashion, or on-court performances.
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For Cunningham, that may be the most meaningful part of having a larger platform. The attention can be loud, especially when controversy is involved, but she believes it can also be useful.
And if her growing spotlight helps a young fan see a place for themselves in basketball or simply gives someone the confidence to chase what they want, Cunningham appears more than willing to embrace it.
In a league hungry for attention, she is proving that sometimes the person making the most noise can also help open the door for someone else.
This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network.