Sophie Cunningham just reminded everyone that owning your words, and clarifying them, still matters.

The 28-year-old Indiana Fever guard stirred things up earlier this week with blunt comments about the WNBA’s expansion cities. “I don’t know how excited people are to be going to Detroit or [Cleveland],” she said, pointing to cities like Miami, Nashville and Kansas City as more exciting options.

That didn’t sit well with fans in Michigan or Ohio. Detroit’s official city account called itself “a sports town.” Cleveland clapped back with a video of Caitlin Clark showing love to the city. Social media wasn’t quiet either.

Sophie Cunningham Stood By Her Opinion, But Showed Where Her Heart Is

Cunningham didn’t backpedal. But she did step up.

“All I was really getting at is like—Broadway, the off-court lifestyle,” she explained Thursday. “Miami is intriguing. That’s all I was getting at.”

She made it crystal clear she meant no disrespect toward blue-collar cities. “I would never speak down upon middle class, blue collar, working people,” Cunningham said. “That’s where I come from. I’m from Missouri.”


And that’s what hit home. The guard known for her grit and fire on the court showed a more thoughtful side off it. She wasn’t deflecting criticism, just explaining her perspective.

“It’s me—people are going to love me, people are going to hate me,” she said. “That was my personal opinion. I think lifestyle is super important… especially for mental health nowadays.”

Cunningham, now in her first season with the Fever after six years with Phoenix, brought up a valid point many players consider: location matters. Free agents chase lifestyle just as much as championship rings. “Broadway sounds fun. Sophie in Miami sounds fun,” she joked.

But despite the controversy, she handled the heat with honesty and grace.

By Thursday afternoon, Cunningham showed she wasn’t hiding behind a PR script. “People totally misread the situation,” she said. “I think it would be fun to get some teams outside of NBA markets.”

The WNBA, led by Commissioner Cathy Engelbert, confirmed its next expansion teams: Detroit, Cleveland and Philadelphia. Others like Miami, Nashville, and Houston made bids, but didn’t make the final cut.

Cunningham gave her take, caught flak, then explained where she was coming from without throwing anyone under the bus. That’s rare these days, and people noticed.

Brittney Griner Finally Breaks Her Silence Over Alleged Caitlin Clark Comments That The WNBA Refused To Investigate

Brittney Griner speaking to reporterBrittney Griner (Photo via Twitter)
WNBA star Brittney Griner was at the center of a new debate over what she allegedly said in a game against basketball phenom Caitlin Clark.

The Atlanta Dream center found herself at the center of social media controversy last month when some fans thought she disparaged Indiana Fever star guard Caitlin Clark upon fouling out.

The game’s broadcast focused on an upset Griner saying something as she returned to the Dream bench after fouling out of the game. While there’s no audio of this moment, some who tried to read Griner’s lips thought she called Clark a “trash f–king white girl.”

However, there’s no proof of Griner saying those actual words since others thought she stated something else.

It took weeks for someone to finally get a quote from her, and she provided much of nothing.

Brittney Griner was asked about this moment before her team’s June 15 game against the Washington Mystics and said, “I remember fouling out, being mad. I remember fouling out on, I believe it was [Natasha] Howard driving to the basket. They said I put my hand in.”

WNBA Chooses Not To Investigate Brittney Griner

Griner Drops F-Bomb, Apologizes Amid Clark Slur RowBrittney Griner (Photo By Dale Zanine-Imagn Images)
Moments before the conclusion of the Indiana Fever’s 81-76 victory over the Dream at the State Farm Arena in Atlanta weeks ago, cameras seemingly caught Atlanta Dream star center Brittney Griner labeling Caitlin Clark “trash” before calling her a “f***ing white girl” in frustration over a foul on Natasha Howard.

The clip of Griner speaking on the bench, lacking context, spread on social media and went viral.

Griner, who won a gold medal for Team USA at the Summer Olympics in Paris in 2024, essentially got aw@y with whatever came out of her mouth because the league basically ignored the controversy.

This incident is not the only time Griner vocalized her frustrations this season. Following another game, she stormed off mid-interview, yelling at the referees to “be f—ing better.