Sophie Cunningham

Sophie Cunningham was born into Missouri basketball royalty on August 16, 1996, in Columbia. Her parents, Jim and Paula Cunningham, were both Missouri Tigers student-athletes, among several other family members who also competed for Mizzou. At Rock Bridge High School, she starred in basketball and volleyball, earning McDonald's All-American honors. When the football team's kicker tore his ACL during the 2014 playoffs, Cunningham stepped in, going 2-for-4 on field goals to become the first female athlete to score for the varsity football team.

That competitive streak carried into four seasons at Missouri, where Sophie Cunningham became the program's all-time leading scorer with 2,187 points. In 129 career starts, she averaged 17.0 points, 5.4 rebounds and 3.0 assists, earning SEC Freshman of the Year honors and three First-Team All-SEC selections. The Phoenix Mercury made her the 13th overall pick of the 2019 WNBA draft, and she spent six seasons there as a three-point shooting specialist, posting a career-best 12.6 points per game in 2023.

The Trade, the Sheldon Scuffle and a Torn MCL

On January 31, 2025, the Mercury sent Cunningham to the Indiana Fever in a four-team trade also involving the Dallas Wings and Connecticut Sun, widely called the largest trade in WNBA history. Fever general manager Amber Cox called her a "perfect fit" for the style Indiana wanted to play around Caitlin Clark and the Fever's young core.

Her first season in Indiana made her a household name. On June 17, 2025, with the Fever well ahead of Connecticut, she pulled Sun guard Jacy Sheldon to the ground in retaliation for Sheldon poking Clark's eye earlier in the game. The ejection went viral and cemented Sophie Cunningham's reputation as the Fever's enforcer. She was also playing well, averaging 8.6 points and a career-high 43% from three-point range, until an August 17 collision with Connecticut's Bria Hartley tore her right MCL. The Fever ruled her out for the season two days later; Cunningham confirmed the diagnosis on her podcast, Show Me Something. Indiana still won the Commissioner's Cup and reached the WNBA semifinals before falling to Las Vegas.

Back in Indy, A New Role Off the Bench

Set to become an unrestricted free agent, Cunningham chose to stay, signing a one-year deal on April 12, 2026. "We had a really special group last year, and it was important to me that we have a chance to see through what we started," she said in the team's announcement. Cox added that Cunningham was "consistently at the top of the league" in three-point shooting effectiveness.

Four games into the season, with Indiana off to a 1-2 start, head coach Stephanie White moved Cunningham to the bench for the first time in her Fever tenure, still searching for the team's best combination. Indiana beat Seattle 89-78 in that debut off the pine, and she has stayed there since, giving the reserves shooting and spacing alongside the Fever's three All-Stars.

Clutch Shooting and a Sixth Player of the Year Push

As of June 2026, with the season ongoing, Sophie Cunningham is averaging roughly 10 points, 2.6 rebounds and 1.6 assists, shooting closer to her career norms after playing through soreness in her shooting elbow. She missed a June 11 game against Chicago with the injury, then returned two days later and scored all 11 points in the final 2:06 of an 85-75 win over Connecticut. On June 8, she fed Clark the inbound pass for her first career game-winner, a three with 1.2 seconds left in a 78-76 win over Washington. On June 16, she matched her career high with six made three-pointers in a 113-91 rout of the Toronto Tempo, scoring a season-best 24 points, part of a stretch in which she shot 13-of-18 from deep over four games. That production has put her in the Sixth Player of the Year conversation, the award given to the WNBA's top reserve.

Where Cunningham Stands

Across seven-plus WNBA seasons split between Phoenix and Indiana, Cunningham has built solid WNBA career stats: a 43.5 field-goal percentage, 37.7% from three and 8.0 points per game. The numbers tell only part of the story. At 29, Sophie Cunningham has also become a media figure, debuting as a USA Network broadcaster on June 17 and continuing to host Show Me Something. With the Fever at 9-5 and chasing another playoff run, her dual identity as enforcer and entertainer makes her one of the roster's most distinctive figures.

FAQs About Sophie Cunningham

How tall is Sophie Cunningham ?

Sophie Cunningham stands 6 feet 1 inch (185 cm) tall, per her official WNBA.com player listing with the Indiana Fever.

Is Sophie Cunningham single?

Yes. Cunningham has described herself as single on multiple occasions, including on her own podcast, Show Me Something, and on social media. Her last publicly confirmed relationship was with former Missouri multi-sport athlete Jakob Neidig, which ended around 2020. She has not confirmed a public relationship since.

How old is Sophie Cunningham?

Cunningham was born August 16, 1996, in Columbia, Missouri, making her 29 years old during the 2026 WNBA season.

Is Sophie Cunningham straight?

Cunningham has not made a public statement labeling her sexual orientation. In interviews and on her podcast, she has spoken about her dating preferences in the context of wanting a male partner, but she has not directly addressed the question of orientation. Out of respect for her privacy, no further claim should be made beyond what she has said herself.

Does Sophie Cunningham have a twin sister?

No. Cunningham does not have a twin. She has one older sister, Lindsey Cunningham (now Lindsey Cunningham Hudson), who also played basketball at the University of Missouri and is roughly two years older than Sophie.

What happened to Sophie Cunningham?

Cunningham tore the MCL in her right knee on August 17, 2025, during a Fever game at Connecticut after a collision with Sun guard Bria Hartley. The Fever ruled her out for the rest of the 2025 season two days later, and Cunningham confirmed the diagnosis herself on her podcast. She recovered over the offseason, re-signed with Indiana in April 2026, and has played the 2026 season healthy.

How bad is Sophie Cunningham's injury?

Her most serious injury was the torn right MCL in August 2025, which ended her season but was not as severe as injuries like a torn ACL. She returned fully healthy for 2026. Her only other injury this season has been soreness in her right elbow, which sidelined her for a single game in June 2026; she received a PRP injection and returned days later.

Does Sophie Cunningham have hair extensions?

There is no official confirmation from Cunningham or the Fever on this. It has circulated as fan speculation on social media, but Cunningham has not addressed it publicly, so it remains unverified.

What team does Sophie Cunningham play for?

Cunningham plays guard for the Indiana Fever, a team she joined via trade from the Phoenix Mercury on January 31, 2025.

Where is Sophie Cunningham from?

Cunningham was born and raised in Columbia, Missouri, where she also played her college basketball at the University of Missouri.

What did Sophie Cunningham say to Jacy Sheldon?

There is no officially confirmed transcript of words exchanged in the heat of the June 17, 2025 on-court altercation. Afterward, Cunningham addressed the incident publicly through a TikTok video lip-syncing Selena Gomez's "Hands to Myself," captioned "It's a joke... the sound was too fitting! happy game day," widely read as a playful jab referencing the foul on Sheldon.

Where did Sophie Cunningham go to college?

Cunningham played four seasons of basketball at the University of Missouri (2015-2019), where she became the program's all-time leading scorer with 2,187 points.

Is Sophie Cunningham out for the season?

No. As of June 2026, Cunningham is active and playing for the Fever in the ongoing 2026 WNBA season. Her only missed time this year was a single game in June due to a minor elbow injury, from which she has returned. Her season-ending injury (the torn MCL) occurred in 2025, not the current season.

Does Sophie Cunningham have a black belt?

Yes. Cunningham earned a black belt in taekwondo at age six, a detail frequently cited as early evidence of the physicality and competitive instincts she shows on the court today.

Is Sophie Cunningham leaving the Fever?

No. Cunningham re-signed with the Indiana Fever on a one-year contract on April 12, 2026, ending her free agency and confirming she would remain with the team for the 2026 season.

Is Sophie Cunningham related to Cade Cunningham?

No. Despite the shared last name, Sophie Cunningham and Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham are not related. Sophie was born in Columbia, Missouri, while Cade was born in Texas; the matching surname is coincidental.

Why does Sophie Cunningham wear long sleeves?

Cunningham has not given an official public explanation. The sleeves are compression sleeves, commonly worn by athletes to support blood flow to working muscles and protect the skin from contact over a long season, which is the most likely practical reason, alongside personal style preference.

How much does Sophie Cunningham make?

Cunningham signed a one-year, $665,000 contract with the Indiana Fever for the 2026 season, a significant raise from the $100,000 salary she earned in 2025, reflecting both her market value and the WNBA's new collective bargaining agreement, which substantially raised salaries league-wide.