Are you aware the actual Sophie Cunningham? The sincere reply is, in all probability not. You understand of the Phoenix Mercury sharpshooter, who is understood for having a aggressive hearth that, at instances, has usually been intertwined with a story that’s adopted her since school. Really, method earlier than that. In Kindergarten, mother and father scolded her on the soccer subject for being “too aggressive, too tough.” She by no means wavered, not as a high 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 high 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 take heed to all that noise,” she tells us over Zoom in June. “I acquired that stuff in school, too. We beat South Carolina a number of years in a row and hastily I’m the soiled participant and it’s like, Nah, I’m simply out working. I’m working y’all’s ass, you realize 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 crew 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 situations of that taking place all through her profession, probably the most well-known of which being what went down between her and then-Sky star Kahleah Copper throughout Recreation 4 of the 2021 WNBA Finals. Everybody was speaking (and tweeting) concerning 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 that they had 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 informed us for the quilt of SLAM 236. “We’re the perfect at what we do. We’re tremendous aggressive.”
Once we requested Cunningham 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 individuals see me and it’s so humorous that any time I get a brand new teammate that possibly, 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 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 okay to go on the market, work exhausting and sweat after which nonetheless be a pleasant human and a unique individual off the court docket, 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 carry 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 had been getting one other badass participant on our crew that’s gonna assist us win a championship right here quickly. For me, I don’t take heed to all that noise.”
It’s what Cunningham brings to the crew 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.”
“Every time Sophie performs, the extent of the sport goes up. And you realize, she’s executed that persistently yearly she’s been on our crew. 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 enjoying this sport ever because you had been a child,” Cunningham as soon as recalled Taurasi telling her. “You understand how to play. I’ve seen you. You understand how 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 just a few 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, flattening pictures, or dispensing dimes—like she did in her win in opposition to the Storm— her potential to adapt to regardless of the crew 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 focusing on and/or jealous of the rookies. Cunningham saved 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’re feeling just like the season goes to this point? 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 12 months, 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 unique crew a few these years simply because it’s identical to a lot drama was simply occurring. And so, after we acquired this new possession, we acquired a complete new entrance workplace, we acquired a complete new teaching workers who’re completely simply phenomenal folks they usually do issues the fitting method 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 all the things and once 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 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 crew. So I’m like, you realize what, I’m right here to win, I’m right here to compete. I’m hopeful to be an Olympian someday, possibly the three×3 crew. 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 a bit totally different. I’m coming off the bench this 12 months, however once I inform you, it’s simply a lot enjoyable to be on this crew.
It has been like the perfect expertise and everybody’s simply genuinely, actually good folks.
WSLAM: What’s the vibe and vitality of the crew?
SC: Oh my God, we now have a lot vitality. 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 giggle 24/7, [it] in all probability seems like an excessive amount of generally as a result of like, hey, I’ll want to love dial it in a bit 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 identical to goofing round having a superb time.
WSLAM: Out of your perspective, how has your sport developed over time and what have you ever discovered?
SC: I believe there’s quite a lot of speak about our League proper now, which I completely love…I believe we now have quite a lot of eyes and a focus on our League, and I’m simply completely happy to be part of it throughout this time. I believe the highschool, school soar is very large, however the school 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 mild 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 method 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 sport at some factors.
For me, I simply had to verify I stayed prepared and actually, I discovered that from DT. She’s the final word professional, she’s the GOAT of our sport. Simply the way in which that she goes about her on a regular basis exercise to grow to be higher every day and generally that’s not doing something and it’s a psychological day. I believe I’ve actually actually have discovered from the easiest. And, for me, I’m seeing [in] my profession that the extra I stack the times the higher I grow to be.
WSLAM: You’re a participant that individuals have talked about for some time by way of being tremendous bodily. For brand new followers, there’s a false impression that that type of play could be very particular and focusing on one individual. What’s your perspective on that?
SC: You form of hit it on the pinnacle 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 facet form of having Caitlin Clark’s again, too, which is form of stunning simply because they understand how bodily our sport has at all times been. However once I inform you 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 primary soar that individuals don’t perceive.
It’s like, her ability stage will come, all the things else will come; the rookies usually. But it surely’s the physicality that individuals 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 a bit little bit of grace generally 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 a bit little bit of time [but] they’re gonna be simply tremendous.
For me, I’ve at all times been a bodily participant. Coming into the League, I used to be really a bit bit shocked of how bodily it was as a result of I assumed I used to be bodily. However once I inform you, it doesn’t matter how massive, how tall you might be, everybody is robust and bodily on this League and also you higher carry it in any other case it’s gonna look possibly 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 simply 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 at all times competed and I believe that any time you place individuals who compete at that stage and form of have that canine and that, that form of like shit about him a bit bit that it’s gonna be form of attention-grabbing to see how they really crew up.
However once I say it’s me, Kah, DT. You may have [Natasha] Cloud. All 4 of us, we now have a bit little bit of one thing to us and so to really put all of us on the identical crew, 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 crew 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 speak about your sense of fashion?
SC: You understand what? To be sincere, I do love trend however I form of need to maintain it easy, too. The trend trend, it’s not my vibe. I believe I simply wouldn’t look good in it. I believe the explanation why we’re bringing the tunnel suits this 12 months—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 12 months, they had been getting higher.
However this 12 months I needed them to be actually good as a result of – the quantity of eyes. I’m telling you, the advertising and marketing, it’s the greatest time to be within the W proper now. And so why would you not form of present out a bit bit in these trend suits?
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 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 take pleasure in basketball nonetheless as a result of I’ve that stability. I don’t go abroad, I make it up in advertising and marketing cash by way of endorsements. After which, I used to be simply blessed with a terrific alternative that the Suns wanted a broadcaster. I’ve by no means actually executed it in my life. I’ve at all times been on the opposite facet of the digital camera, however I’m like, I might 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 publish sport, interviewing among the guys and I actually beloved it. It’s rather a lot more durable than it seems to be, too. Once I watch video games now I’m listening to the broadcaster.
I’m attempting 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 stage they do [and] to see the sport form of break down and be simplified, but additionally so difficult on the similar time. It was simply fascinating to me.
I acquired to form of grow to be 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 executed. However then once more, I might like to be an island woman by some means and receives a commission for that. I don’t even know what I need to do with my life [laughs]. So, we’ll see.
Images through Getty Photographs.
