Sophie Cunningham

Sophie Elizabeth Cunningham (born August 16, 1996) is an American professional basketball player for the Indiana Fever of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). She played college basketball for the Missouri Tigers.

Background

Sophie Elizabeth Cunningham was born August 16, 1996, to Jim and Paula Cunningham. Her parents were both student athletes at the University of Missouri in Columbia, along with other members of her family.

Sophie Cunningham attended Rock Bridge High School in the city, starring on the girls' basketball and volleyball teams. When the kicker on the football team had an ACL tear ending her season, she joined the football team as the kicker as well, going two for four on FG attempts.

College career

Cunningham played four seasons of college basketball at the University of Missouri for the Tigers. In 129 career starts, she averaged 17.0 ppg, 5.4 rpg and 3.0 apg for the Tigers.

Professional career

Phoenix Mercury (2019–2024)

Cunningham was selected as the thirteenth (13th) overall pick, the first pick in the second round, of the 2019 WNBA draft by the Phoenix Mercury. She was the eighth University of Missouri alumna to be drafted into the WNBA and was the highest selection for a former Tiger. In her rookie year, she appeared in 32 games, mostly off the bench, starting just five; she finished the season with 28 field goals in 79 attempts, went 30-for-34 in free throws, had 45 rebounds, 25 assists, 11 steals and four blocks while scoring 100 points. In the postseason, she scored three points in the Mercury's only game.

The 2020 season saw Cunningham appear in a career-low 21 games, though she started 11. She was productive in her limited playing time, with 35 field goals, 12 three-pointers and 22 field goals. In two playoff games for the Mercury, she recorded two field goals and a three-pointer.

Cunningham came off the bench for the Mercury in their resurgent 2021 season. In 30 games, she averaged 17.5 minutes per game, posting 5.6 points, 2.0 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 0.5 steals. She shot 43.7% from the field, including 41.0% on 3-pointers, and 70.4% from the free throw line. She played in eight of the team's 11 postseason games, missing three due to a calf strain, as the Mercury made it to the WNBA Finals, including a 21-point performance against the New York Liberty in the second round. In Game 2 of the Finals, she recorded nine points, five rebounds and two assists in the Mercury's 91-86 overtime win against the Chicago Sky to tie the series. Her two three-pointers in the second quarter put Phoenix within three points. In the third game, she scored a three-pointer. Cunningham scored 51 points in the posteason, but the Mercury lost to the Sky 3-games-to-1.

Cunningham started a then-career-high 20 games in 2022 and responded with dramatic improvement. She recorded 120 field goals, 70 three-pointers, and made 42 of her 48 free throw attempts. She posted career-highs in offensive rebounds (19), and points (352), and her 104 defensive rebounds were also a career-high to that point in her career. In two playoff games, she had five field goals, two free throws and five rebounds, scoring 15 total points.

Cunningham's playing time continued to increase in 2023, this time starting all 31 games she played in. She finished the year with 111 field goals, 58 three-pointers, and a career-high 70 free throws. Despite this, the team finished 9-31, good for sixth in the Western Conference, missing the playoffs for the first time in her career.

The Mercury rebounded in 2024, finishing 19-24 and finishing fourth in the Conference. Cunningham played in a career-high 40 games that season, and recorded 103 field goals, 68 three-pointers, 60 free throws, and played improved defense. Her 141 defensive rebounds and 41 steals were both career-highs, and her ten blocks tied for second-most in her career. In two playoff games, Cunningham had ten field goals, three three-pointers, nine rebounds, seven assists, three steals and a block as the Minnesota Lynx defeated the Mercury two-games-to-zero to advance to the second round.

Indiana Fever (2025–present)

On January 31, 2025, Cunningham was traded to the Indiana Fever in a four-team trade which also included the Dallas Wings and Connecticut Sun. Cunningham has earned recognition as the Fever's enforcer after she was ejected from a game against the Connecticut Sun for grabbing Jacy Sheldon and pulling her to the ground in retribution for Sheldon poking teammate Caitlin Clark in the eye earlier in the game. The incident went viral.

In the second quarter of the Fever's match-up at Connecticut on August 17, Cunningham left the game with a right knee injury after Connecticut Sun guard, Bria Hartley, stumbled into the paint and fell into Cunningham's leg. On August 19, the Fever said that Cunningham would be out for the remainder of the Fever's season due to her right knee injury. She confirmed reports saying she tore her right MCL, on the August 19 episode of her podcast, "Show Me Something." For the season, she had 82 field goals, 51 three-pointers, 42 free throws, 105 rebounds and 29 steals.

On April 12, 2026, it was announced that Cunningham had re-signed with the Fever.

During a June 22 game against the Phoenix Mercury, Caitlin Clark was called for a technical foul after getting wrapped up with ex-Fever player and teammate DeWanna Bonner. After Clark's foul was called, Cunningham asked the referees why Bonner did not also receive a foul, pointing at her. Bonner told Cunningham to stop pointing at her, and both players were called for technical fouls. Cunningham continued to point at Bonner for over 20 seconds until she was ushered back to her team's bench. Cunningham's pointing later became a meme.

Analyst career

In December 2022, Cunningham became a recurring analyst for the Phoenix Suns on their Suns Live! pregame, halftime, and post-game TV coverage.

Career statistics

WNBA

Regular season

Stats current through end of 2025 season

Playoffs

College

External links

• onInstagram
• Career statistics from WNBA.com · Basketball Reference