Copyright Sports Illustrated
There's a case to be made that Sophie Cunningham's stardom was sure to skyrocket as soon as she was traded to the Indiana Fever this past WNBA offseason. Given that the Fever are the league's most popular team (largely because of Caitlin Clark, who is one of the most popular athletes in the world right now), Cunningham's profile was guaranteed to be heightened just by being in Indianapolis. Then she joined the roster and immediately began cultivating a good relationship with Clark, which helped her start to attract attention and build her brand. But everything changed on June 17, when the Fever faced the Connecticut Sun. Clark was knocked to the floor by Sun player Marina Mabrey in the third quarter of that game. This was the byproduct of Clark getting into a light shoving exchange with Jacy Sheldon. One quarter later, Cunningham grabbed Sheldon by the neck and threw her to the ground while she was going for a layup, prompting both players to get ejected and sparking a brief brawl between the two teams. This was arguably the most viral moment of the entire 2025 WNBA regular season. If she hadn't won over the hearts of Fever fans at this point, the way she came to Clark's defense and acted as the Fever's enforcer (which the team had been lacking before she arrived) made her beloved. It also turned Cunningham into one of the WNBA's biggest stars and a powerhouse when it comes to business off the court. Sophie Cunningham's Adidas Reveal Showcases Fever Stardom On November 2, Cunningham made an Instagram post featuring several photos of her wearing Adidas gear (specifically pink Adidas shoes) that was captioned, "come get spicy like me with the Dame X Electric Pink kicks 🔥". The post is clearly part of Cunningham's partnership with Adidas, which also included her being in an ad related to NBA star Damian Lillard's new shoe. And this isn't the only impressive exposure Cunningham has amassed this week, as she also made an appearance on Good Morning America as part of her partnership with Arby's. Cunningham is one of the most polarizing players in the league, as she has a ton of detractors in addition to the passionate fan base she has built during her first season with the Fever. Still, even the detractors are seeing what Cunningham has been able to accomplish off the court as a byproduct of her time in Indiana. Recommended Reading:
