Sophie Cunningham Profits After On-Court Controversy
Sophie Cunningham may have paid a $400 fine for her role in a WNBA brawl, but the Indiana Fever guard has turned controversy into cash. After dragging Jacy Sheldon to the floor during a heated matchup against the Connecticut Sun, Cunningham’s enforcer image quickly took off. She’s now found herself with a booming social media following, sold-out jerseys, and a new endorsement deal with Ring.
In a slick Instagram promo, Cunningham leaned into her “team protector” persona: “In light of recent events, you guys know how serious I am about protecting my girls on the court,” she said. “But what’s protecting my home court, AKA my actual home? The obvious choice is Ring.”
While the size of the Ring deal hasn’t been disclosed, Cunningham’s 1 million+ Instagram followers suggest she earned far more than she lost from the league’s fine.
Indiana’s Enforcer Embraces Role Amid Season Grind
Since joining the Fever from the Phoenix Mercury, Cunningham has taken on the role of physical tone-setter. Averaging 5.6 points and 4.1 rebounds in just over 22 minutes per game, her real impact has come through leadership and attitude.
Following a loss to the Sparks, Cunningham doubled down on the team’s reputation: “We are circled on everybody’s schedule. No one likes us, right? Everyone in our locker room… we’ve gotta lean on each other.”
Despite mixed on-court results (8-8 record), the Fever continue drawing national attention, largely due to the presence of Caitlin Clark, and now, Cunningham’s growing brand.
Winning Is Still the Priority
While the off-court wins are stacking up, Cunningham hasn’t lost sight of her goals: “I just wanna win. I want a championship… I’m excited to play with [Clark]… but for me, it’s all about winning.”
From brawls to brand deals, Cunningham is turning heat into hustle, and the WNBA is watching.
Read More: Sophie Cunningham Gets NFL Shoutout After Sticking Up for Caitlin Clark
