Indiana Fever Star Sophie Cunningham speaking to reporters (Photo via Twitter)
Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham made a big mistake when she came after Cleveland and Detroit.

On Monday, the WNBA announced its plans to add three more expansion teams by 2030. The three new teams will play in Cleveland (2028), Detroit (2029), and Philadelphia (2030), giving the league 18 teams.

Cunningham raised her concerns during shootaround before the Fever’s 74-59 victory over the Minnesota Lynx in the WNBA Commissioner’s Cup final.

Cunningham, a seven-year veteran who spent her first six years in Phoenix, expressed skepticism over the latest choices.

“You want to listen to your players, too. Where do they want to play? Where are they going to get excited to play and draw fans? I do think that Miami would have been a great (location). Nashville is an amazing city. Kansas City, amazing opportunity,” said Sophie Cunningham.

Sophie Cunningham spent most of the conversation questioning why the WNBA did not expand to more destination cities like Miami or Nashville.

She was blasted heavily.

The City of Cleveland responded to the comment on Tuesday and posted a video of Caitlin Clark admiring Cleveland when she visited for the NCAA women’s basketball final four tournament last year.

Dan Gilbert and Donovan Mitchell also joined the conversation. Detroit Lions player Dan Skipper also gave his two cents.

It got to a point where people on social media started to refer to her as “MAGA Barbie.”

Indiana Fever Guard Sophie Cunningham Clears Up Her Comments

Sophie Cunningham (Clark Wade/IndyStar-USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
Cunningham has addressed her controversial comments surrounding the WNBA’s new expansion cities amid heavy backlash from the sports world.

On Thursday, Cunningham clarified her comments, stressing that they were her “personal opinion.”

She didn’t exactly apologize for what she said; she acknowledged the historical relevance of Cleveland’s and Detroit’s former WNBA franchises.

“First of all, I know the history behind the WNBA. I know that both of those cities have had teams before, and they got us to where we’re at,” Cunningham said. “All I was really getting at is the off-court lifestyle. And so I think that is really intriguing, I think Miami is intriguing, that’s all I was getting at. I’m thankful for what [Cleveland and Detroit’s WNBA teams] have done for the history of our sport. I think it’d be fun to get some teams outside the NBA market.

“I think people totally misread that situation. I would never speak down upon middle-class, blue-collar working people, that’s where I come from, I’m from Missouri, I get I’m in Indiana. That’s why I’m hinting at, Broadway [in Nashville] sounds fun, Miami sounds fun, all I was getting at.”

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