Are you aware the true Sophie Cunningham? The sincere reply is, most likely not. You recognize of the Phoenix Mercury sharpshooter, who is understood for having a aggressive fireplace that, at instances, has usually been intertwined with a story that’s adopted her since faculty. Truly, approach earlier than that. In Kindergarten, dad and mom scolded her on the soccer discipline for being “too aggressive, too tough.” She by no means wavered, not as a prime ranked recruit and former McDonald’s All-American in highschool, or at Mizzou, the place she emerged into this system’s all-time main scorer and led her squad to back-to-back-to-back-to-back appearances within the NCAA match.
However even amidst all of that success, the hometown standout couldn’t shake the notion that the hearth that she exudes on the hardwood—the physicality, the celly’s after big-time performs, the hair flips—are deliberately petty acts by a “soiled participant.” When the Tigers confronted off towards South Carolina through the 2017-18 season, followers booed her any time she acquired the rock. After which, within the second quarter, a scuffle ensued on the prime of the important thing between the Gamecocks and the Tigers, inflicting a surge of backlash surrounding the Tigers, and Cunningham particularly.
“For me, I don’t hearken to all that noise,” she tells us over Zoom in June. “I acquired that stuff in faculty, too. We beat South Carolina a number of years in a row and rapidly I’m the soiled participant and it’s like, Nah, I’m simply out working. I’m working y’all’s ass, you recognize what I imply?
However I can’t actually say that. I’ve been used to it however I simply know that I’ve a really tight circle. I lean on them fairly a bit…For me, I simply need to be the very best teammate, I wanna be the very best competitor [and] I wanna do no matter it takes for my workforce to win and all that different noise can simply be squashed.”
That was six years in the past, however all through her profession within the WNBA, Cunningham has nonetheless needed to take care of the noise that that is who she is, even off the court docket. There’s been many, many cases of that taking place all through her profession, essentially the most well-known of which being what went down between her and then-Sky star Kahleah Copper throughout Sport 4 of the 2021 WNBA Finals. Everybody was speaking (and tweeting) in regards to the controversial second.
However again in 2022, Copper assured us moments like which can be all a part of what occurs when aggressive athletes go at it. Some even assumed that they had beef, which Kah squashed. “They count on us to be all good and completely happy and shit, like, that’s not the way it goes,” she advised us for the quilt of SLAM 236. “We’re the very best at what we do. We’re tremendous aggressive.”
After we requested Cunningham just lately about how she’s handled these narratives about her, she echoed that very same sentiment. “Thanks for asking that query as a result of I feel that folks see me and it’s so humorous that any time I get a brand new teammate that perhaps, like, they’re aggressive, we type of go at it. They’re like, Oh, you’re truly like, very nice and enjoyable to be round. I’m like, duh. Why can’t I be aggressive on the court docket and why can’t all of us hang around after? I need to change that narrative for females that it’s OK to compete, it’s OK to play bodily. It’s alright to go on the market, work arduous and sweat after which nonetheless be a pleasant human and a special particular person off the court docket, too. Like, we’re not going towards highschool[ers] or something like that. These are the very best folks on the planet, so that you gotta carry it proper.
I feel for me when Kah got here in, I didn’t suppose two issues of it. I used to be simply so completely happy that we had been getting one other badass participant on our workforce that’s gonna assist us win a championship right here quickly. For me, I don’t hearken to all that noise.”
It’s what Cunningham brings to the workforce that’s allowed her to solidify her function on the Mercury, whether or not she’s been beginning, or as is the case this season, primarily coming off the bench. It has earned her reward from legends like teammate Diana Taurasi, who as soon as described Cunningham to the New York Instances as somebody who likes to “muck it up.”
“Each time Sophie performs, the extent of the sport goes up. And you recognize, she’s accomplished that persistently yearly she’s been on our workforce. And that’s why she’s so vital to what we do,” DT mentioned, per The Subsequent in 2022. Years prior, she gave Cunningham recommendation about remaining true to herself, too. “You’ve been taking part in this recreation ever because you had been a child,” Cunningham as soon as recalled Taurasi telling her. “You know the way to play. I’ve seen you. You know the way to play, so simply go on the market and have enjoyable.”
In the course of the 2022 season, Cunningham dropped a career-high 23 factors towards the Liberty as a starter in July, after which a number of days later, adopted it up with a 36-point efficiency towards the Lynx, together with seven boards and 5 steals, a historic stat line that made her solely the second participant in WNBA historical past to take action. The opposite? Cynthia Cooper in ‘97. Whether or not she’s dropping buckets, pulling down photographs, or dispensing dimes—like she did in her win towards the Storm— her skill to adapt to regardless of the workforce wants makes her a key part.
And because the WNBA continues to develop, and new followers tune in to observe not simply the Mercury, however throughout the League, there’s a sentiment that moments of competitiveness are private, or that vets are focusing on and/or jealous of the rookies. Cunningham stored it actual about all of this, and in an unique interview, we chopped it up with the star about conversations surrounding Caitlin Clark, her personal profession up to now, and her pursuits off the court docket as an analyst for the Suns, displaying out within the tunnel and extra.
WSLAM: Hey Sophie! How do you are feeling just like the season goes to date? What was your mindset going into it?
Sophie Cunningham: You recognize, since I’ve been in Phoenix, I’ve been right here happening my sixth 12 months, it has been a curler coaster. I’m somebody who’s gonna shoot it straight that, like, it has not been essentially the most enjoyable years. I didn’t know if I used to be gonna go to a special workforce a few these years simply because it’s identical to a lot drama was simply happening. And so, after we acquired this new possession, we acquired an entire new entrance workplace, we acquired an entire new teaching workers who’re completely simply phenomenal folks and so they do issues the best approach and so they’re all about ensuring us ladies have the identical issues as our brothers on the Suns do.
I simply love their strategy to all the things and after I noticed, the roster that we acquired, I used to be like, All proper, we’re gonna be legit this 12 months. With that generally folks’s egos get hit a little bit bit—I’ve been beginning the previous two or three years, however I knew that I’m gonna have 4 or 5 Olympians on our workforce. So I’m like, you recognize what, I’m right here to win, I’m right here to compete. I’m hopeful to be an Olympian in the future, perhaps the three×3 workforce. So, why would I not need to encompass myself with individuals who have been the place I wanna go? So, for me, my function does look a little bit completely different. I’m coming off the bench this 12 months, however after I let you know, it’s simply a lot enjoyable to be on this workforce.
It has been like the very best expertise and everybody’s simply genuinely, actually good folks.
WSLAM: What’s the vibe and vitality of the workforce?
SC: Oh my God, we have now a lot vitality. We now have a variety of personalities [and] everybody’s simply goofy. I do know that we play basketball, however after I say that we chuckle 24/7, [it] most likely appears like an excessive amount of generally as a result of like, hey, I’ll want to love dial it in a little bit bit. It’s enjoyable although as a result of we do compete at such a excessive degree, however proper when the ball stops, we’re all identical to goofing round having a great time.
WSLAM: Out of your perspective, how has your recreation advanced through the years and what have you ever realized?
SC: I feel there’s a variety of discuss our League proper now, which I completely love…I feel we have now a variety of eyes and a spotlight on our League, and I’m simply completely happy to be part of it throughout this time. I feel the highschool, faculty bounce is huge, however the faculty to the professionals is even 20 instances extra that. So, I feel the primary couple of years, you type of have to search out your ft. There’s some individuals who can go into the League and so they have the inexperienced gentle straight away and the balls of their hand 24/7. You see them type of take off quite a bit sooner, whereas [for me], I used to be DT’s sub for almost all of my profession. I lastly labored my approach into the beginning lineup about two or three years in the past, so [I] undoubtedly was very persistent, was a variety of ups and downs. It was a thoughts recreation at some factors.
For me, I simply had to verify I stayed prepared and actually, I realized that from DT. She’s the final word professional, she’s the GOAT of our recreation. Simply the way in which that she goes about her on a regular basis exercise to turn into higher every day and generally that’s not doing something and it’s a psychological day. I feel I’ve actually actually have realized from the easiest. And, for me, I’m seeing [in] my profession that the extra I stack the times the higher I turn into.
WSLAM: You’re a participant that folks have talked about for some time by way of being tremendous bodily. For brand new followers, there’s a false impression that that model of play may be very particular and focusing on one particular person. What’s your perspective on that?
SC: You type of hit it on the top as a result of to be sincere, I feel that there are a variety of new eyes, however with that, there’s lots of people who’re uneducated about our League.
You see lots of people within the public eye on the lads’s facet type of having Caitlin Clark’s again, too, which is type of stunning simply because they know the way bodily our recreation has at all times been. However after I let you know that the narrative that we’re all towards Caitlin or the vets towards the rookies that must be squashed as a result of it’s not like that. I promise you, it’s not like that. I’ve had my jaw damaged, I’ve damaged a finger, I’ve damaged my nostril. Everybody has tales of how bodily this League actually is and I feel that’s the most important bounce that folks don’t perceive.
It’s like, her ability degree will come, all the things else will come; the rookies typically. However it’s the physicality that folks actually should get used to. And so for me, I don’t suppose anybody’s being focused. If something, I feel we have to give her a little bit little bit of grace generally as a result of she has quite a bit on her plate and a variety of eyes on her. However with that, I feel that is gonna be actually good for her. She’s gonna be nice. I feel the rookie class is gonna be phenomenal for our League as soon as they get that physicality factor type of labored out. It takes a little bit little bit of time [but] they’re gonna be simply advantageous.
For me, I’ve at all times been a bodily participant. Coming into the League, I used to be truly a little bit bit stunned of how bodily it was as a result of I believed I used to be bodily. However after I let you know, it doesn’t matter how large, how tall you might be, everybody is powerful and bodily on this League and also you higher carry it in any other case it’s gonna look perhaps dangerous.
WSLAM: Talking of physicality, what has it been like teaming up with somebody as aggressive as Kah? Is that this the primary time that you just guys have actually been round one another?
SC: Yeah, it’s undoubtedly like the primary time that we’ve been round [each other]. We’ve at all times competed and I feel that any time you set individuals who compete at that degree and type of have that canine and that, that type of like shit about him a little bit bit that it’s gonna be type of attention-grabbing to see how they really workforce up.
However after I say it’s me, Kah, DT. You’ve [Natasha] Cloud. All 4 of us, we have now a little bit little bit of one thing to us and so to really put all of us on the identical workforce, it’s been so enjoyable as a result of now we simply hype one another up. I really feel dangerous for groups like they haven’t even seen the very best of us but. Kah’s been killing it. She has completely been killing it. She’s a canine and I’m simply completely happy that she’s on my workforce to be sincere.
WSLAM: You’re simply as outspoken off the court docket, too. However you’ve additionally been displaying out within the tunnel this 12 months. Are you able to discuss your sense of favor?
SC: You recognize what? To be sincere, I do love style however I type of need to preserve it easy, too. The style style, it’s not my vibe. I feel I simply wouldn’t look good in it. I feel the explanation why we’re bringing the tunnel matches this 12 months—it’s been a piece within the course of. I additionally suppose the more cash you get, the extra you’re capable of do what you need, too—[but it] being Yr 6 and simply final 12 months, they had been getting higher.
However this 12 months I wished them to be actually good as a result of – the quantity of eyes. I’m telling you, the advertising, it’s the greatest time to be within the W proper now. And so why would you not type of present out a little bit bit in these style matches?
WSLAM: We’re right here for it! You’re additionally actually into broadcasting as nicely. Are you able to speak extra about how you bought into that and what it’s like showcasing your persona and pursuits exterior of the sport?
SC: I’ve a variety of passions and a variety of loves exterior of basketball. I feel that’s how I’m capable of get pleasure from basketball nonetheless as a result of I’ve that steadiness. I don’t go abroad, I make it up in advertising cash by means of endorsements. After which, I used to be simply blessed with an incredible alternative that the Suns wanted a broadcaster. I’ve by no means actually accomplished it in my life. I’ve at all times been on the opposite facet of the digicam, however I’m like, I might speak to all for 10 hours. This could’t be that arduous. And so, I truly ended up doing it two years in the past and that was extra simply in-studio, pre, half and publish recreation, interviewing among the guys and I actually liked it. It’s quite a bit more durable than it seems, too. After I watch video games now I’m listening to the broadcaster.
I’m making an attempt to be taught this 12 months [and] I acquired to do in-studio and coloration commentating and I simply fell in love with it. To look at these guys carry out on the degree they do [and] to see the sport type of break down and be simplified, but in addition so difficult on the similar time. It was simply fascinating to me.
I acquired to type of turn into actually shut with our proprietor and our CFO and so I’ve gotten to really be taught the enterprise facet of sport, too. I’m turning right into a nerd. I’ve by no means been a nerd…however I’ve actually discovered it fascinating this previous 12 months.
I might like to get into broadcasting [when] I’m accomplished. However then once more, I might like to be an island lady one way or the other and receives a commission for that. I don’t even know what I need to do with my life [laughs]. So, we’ll see.
Pictures through Getty Photos.