Have you learnt the true Sophie Cunningham? The sincere reply is, most likely not. You understand of the Phoenix Mercury sharpshooter, who is understood for having a aggressive fireplace that, at instances, has typically been intertwined with a story that’s adopted her since faculty. Really, manner earlier than that. In Kindergarten, mother and father scolded her on the soccer area 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 event.
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 in opposition to South Carolina in the course of 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 swiftly I’m the soiled participant and it’s like, Nah, I’m simply out working. I’m working y’all’s ass, 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 perfect teammate, I wanna be the perfect competitor [and] I wanna do no matter it takes for my group 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 cope with the noise that that is who she is, even off the courtroom. There’s been many, many cases of that occuring all through her profession, probably 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 are all a part of what occurs when aggressive athletes go at it. Some even assumed they’d beef, which Kah squashed. “They anticipate us to be all good and completely happy and shit, like, that’s not the way it goes,” she advised us for the duvet of SLAM 236. “We’re the perfect at what we do. We’re tremendous aggressive.”
Once 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 believe 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 form of go at it. They’re like, Oh, you’re really like, very nice and enjoyable to be round. I’m like, duh. Why can’t I be aggressive on the courtroom 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 okay to go on the market, work onerous and sweat after which nonetheless be a pleasant human and a special individual off the courtroom, too. Like, we’re not going in opposition to highschool[ers] or something like that. These are the perfect folks on the planet, so that you gotta deliver it proper.
I believe for me when Kah got here in, I didn’t assume two issues of it. I used to be simply so completely happy that we have been getting one other badass participant on our group 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 group that’s allowed her to solidify her position 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 , she’s finished that persistently yearly she’s been on our group. And that’s why she’s so vital to what we do,” DT stated, per The Subsequent in 2022. Years prior, she gave Cunningham recommendation about remaining true to herself, too. “You’ve been enjoying this recreation ever because you have 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 in opposition to the Liberty as a starter in July, after which a couple of days later, adopted it up with a 36-point efficiency in opposition to 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 pictures, or doling out dimes—like she did in her win in opposition to the Storm— her means to adapt to regardless of the group wants makes her a key element.
And because the WNBA continues to develop, and new followers tune in to look at not simply the Mercury, however throughout the League, there’s a sentiment that moments of competitiveness are private, or that vets are concentrating 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 to date, and her pursuits off the courtroom as an analyst for the Suns, displaying out within the tunnel and extra.
WSLAM: Hey Sophie! How do you’re feeling just like the season goes thus far? What was your mindset going into it?
Sophie Cunningham: You understand, since I’ve been in Phoenix, I’ve been right here occurring my sixth yr, it has been a curler coaster. I’m somebody who’s gonna shoot it straight that, like, it has not been probably the most enjoyable years. I didn’t know if I used to be gonna go to a special group a few these years simply because it’s similar to a lot drama was simply occurring. And so, once 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 they usually do issues the best manner they usually’re all about ensuring us ladies have the identical issues as our brothers on the Suns do.
I simply love their method to every little thing and once I noticed, the roster that we acquired, I used to be like, All proper, we’re gonna be legit this yr. With that typically folks’s egos get hit slightly 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 group. So I’m like, 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 group. So, why would I not need to encompass myself with individuals who have been the place I wanna go? So, for me, my position does look slightly completely different. I’m coming off the bench this yr, however once I let you know, it’s simply a lot enjoyable to be on this group.
It has been like the perfect expertise and everybody’s simply genuinely, actually good folks.
WSLAM: What’s the vibe and power of the group?
SC: Oh my God, we’ve a lot power. We’ve got quite a lot of personalities [and] everybody’s simply goofy. I do know that we play basketball, however once I say that we chuckle 24/7, [it] most likely seems like an excessive amount of typically as a result of like, hey, I’ll want to love dial it in slightly bit. It’s enjoyable although as a result of we do compete at such a excessive stage, however proper when the ball stops, we’re all similar to goofing round having a very good time.
WSLAM: Out of your perspective, how has your recreation advanced through the years and what have you ever realized?
SC: I believe there’s quite a lot of discuss our League proper now, which I completely love…I believe we’ve quite a lot of eyes and a spotlight on our League, and I’m simply completely happy to be part of it throughout this time. I believe the highschool, faculty bounce is very large, however the faculty to the professionals is even 20 instances extra that. So, I believe the primary couple of years, you form of have to search out your ft. There’s some individuals who can go into the League they usually have the inexperienced gentle instantly and the balls of their hand 24/7. You see them form of take off rather a lot sooner, whereas [for me], I used to be DT’s sub for almost all of my profession. I lastly labored my manner into the beginning lineup about two or three years in the past, so [I] positively was very persistent, was quite a lot 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 last word professional, she’s the GOAT of our recreation. Simply the best way that she goes about her on a regular basis exercise to turn into higher every day and typically that’s not doing something and it’s a psychological day. I believe I’ve actually actually have realized from the perfect. 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 when it comes to being tremendous bodily. For brand spanking new followers, there’s a false impression that that model of play may be very particular and concentrating on one individual. What’s your perspective on that?
SC: You form of hit it on the top as a result of to be sincere, I believe that there are quite a lot 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 boys’s aspect form of having Caitlin Clark’s again, too, which is form of shocking simply because they know the way bodily our recreation has all the time been. However once I let you know that the narrative that we’re all in opposition to Caitlin or the vets in opposition to 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 believe that’s the fundamental bounce that folks don’t perceive.
It’s like, her ability stage will come, every little thing else will come; the rookies typically. However it’s the physicality that folks actually need to get used to. And so for me, I don’t assume anybody’s being focused. If something, I believe we have to give her slightly little bit of grace typically as a result of she has rather a lot on her plate and quite a lot of eyes on her. However with that, I believe that is gonna be actually good for her. She’s gonna be nice. I believe the rookie class is gonna be phenomenal for our League as soon as they get that physicality factor form of labored out. It takes slightly little bit of time [but] they’re gonna be simply wonderful.
For me, I’ve all the time been a bodily participant. Coming into the League, I used to be really slightly bit stunned of how bodily it was as a result of I assumed I used to be bodily. However once I let you know, it doesn’t matter how large, how tall you’re, everybody is robust and bodily on this League and also you higher deliver it in any other case it’s gonna look perhaps unhealthy.
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 positively like the primary time that we’ve been round [each other]. We’ve all the time competed and I believe that any time you set individuals who compete at that stage and form of have that canine and that, that form of like shit about him slightly bit that it’s gonna be form of attention-grabbing to see how they really group up.
However once I say it’s me, Kah, DT. You could have [Natasha] Cloud. All 4 of us, we’ve slightly little bit of one thing to us and so to truly put all of us on the identical group, it’s been so enjoyable as a result of now we simply hype one another up. I really feel unhealthy for groups like they haven’t even seen the perfect 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 group to be sincere.
WSLAM: You’re simply as outspoken off the courtroom, too. However you’ve additionally been displaying out within the tunnel this yr. Are you able to discuss your sense of fashion?
SC: You understand what? To be sincere, I do love style however I form of need to maintain it easy, too. The style style, it’s not my vibe. I believe I simply wouldn’t look good in it. I believe the rationale why we’re bringing the tunnel suits this yr—it’s been a piece within the course of. I additionally assume the extra money you get, the extra you’re capable of do what you need, too—[but it] being 12 months 6 and simply final yr, they have been getting higher.
However this yr I wished them to be actually good as a result of – the quantity of eyes. I’m telling you, the advertising, it’s the finest time to be within the W proper now. And so why would you not form of present out slightly bit in these style suits?
WSLAM: We’re right here for it! You’re additionally actually into broadcasting as effectively. Are you able to speak extra about how you bought into that and what it’s like showcasing your character and pursuits outdoors of the sport?
SC: I’ve quite a lot of passions and quite a lot of loves outdoors of basketball. I believe 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 way of endorsements. After which, I used to be simply blessed with an important alternative that the Suns wanted a broadcaster. I’ve by no means actually finished it in my life. I’ve all the time been on the opposite aspect of the digicam, however I’m like, I may speak to all for 10 hours. This will’t be that tough. And so, I really ended up doing it two years in the past and that was extra simply in-studio, pre, half and put up recreation, interviewing a few of the guys and I actually cherished it. It’s rather a lot tougher than it seems to be, too. After I watch video games now I’m listening to the broadcaster.
I’m making an attempt to be taught this yr [and] I acquired to do in-studio and shade commentating and I simply fell in love with it. To observe these guys carry out on the stage they do [and] to see the sport form of break down and be simplified, but additionally so sophisticated on the similar time. It was simply fascinating to me.
I acquired to form of turn into actually shut with our proprietor and our CFO and so I’ve gotten to truly be taught the enterprise aspect 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 yr.
I’d like to get into broadcasting [when] I’m finished. However then once more, I’d like to be an island woman in some way 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 Photographs.
