Sophie Cunningham Defends Herself Amid Calls for Fever Change

WHO:

Fox News - Sophie Cunningham, WNBA player and guard for the Indiana Fever.

Fox News - Kat Timpf, Fox News contributor.

Fox News - Kennedy, podcast host.

Pro Football Network - Drew Hanlen, NBA trainer and Cunningham's co-host.

WHAT:

Fox News - Cunningham stated, "Because I’ve said this so many times, is if you’re going to live by the praise, you’re going to die by the hate."

Fox News - Cunningham's co-host Hanlen emphasized that many teams would want a player who is a top five bench scorer and a top five three-point shooter in the league, stating, "So yes, a lot of teams would want a top five bench scorer that also happens to be a top five three-point shooter in the entire league, not just bench players."

Fox News - The column from The Athletic described Cunningham as "too combustible" and argued that her outspoken views had overwhelmed the team’s basketball priorities.

Fox News - Cunningham stated, "That’s why I literally don’t even care what anyone says about me anymore," emphasizing her focus on self-awareness and contributions beyond statistics.

Fox News - Cunningham is headed toward unrestricted free agency after two seasons with Indiana.

Fox News - Drew Hanlen, Cunningham's co-host, described the column urging her ouster as an "absolute hate piece" and defended her basketball value, stating that many teams would want a player who is a top five bench scorer and a top five three-point shooter in the league.

Fox News - Cunningham maintained that her contributions extend beyond traditional statistics, saying, "No matter what anyone says to me, I’m going to continue to do me. I know what I bring to the table. It’s not always in the stat sheet."

Fox News - Cunningham faced backlash after defending women's sports, leading to a column urging the Fever to drop her.

Fox News - Cunningham responded to the criticism with the quote: "Suck it."

Fox News - Cunningham averaged 7.9 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 1.2 assists during the regular season.

Fox News - Cunningham shot 41.9% from three-point range across 43 appearances, starting three games.

Fox News - Cunningham ranked fourth among the WNBA's bench scorers and was a top-five three-point shooter.

Fox News - Cunningham's effective field goal percentage was 60.8%, ranking fourth in the league.

WHERE:

Fox News - The Indiana Fever is based in Indiana.

Fox News - Demonstrations supporting and opposing Cunningham's views occurred outside Fever games.

Fox News - Cunningham reacted after scoring during a WNBA game against the Seattle Storm at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

WHEN:

Fox News - The column urging the Fever to part ways with Cunningham was published on October 6.

Fox News - Cunningham reacted to the criticism on a podcast episode aired on a Friday.

WHY:

Fox News - The column argued that Cunningham's outspoken views had overwhelmed the team's basketball priorities, describing her as "too combustible."

Fox News - Cunningham's opposition to transgender athletes competing in women's sports became a major flashpoint this season.

HOW:

Fox News - Cunningham stated she no longer lets outside opinions dictate how she lives, emphasizing her self-awareness of her contributions beyond statistics.

(UPDATED October 11, 2026 09:00 UTC)

Cunningham made headlines on Fox News, asserting that if someone lives by praise, they must also be prepared to face hate. Her co-host Hanlen highlighted the value of a player who ranks among the top five bench scorers and top five three-point shooters in the league, emphasizing that many teams would be eager to acquire such talent. Meanwhile, a column from The Athletic labeled Cunningham as "too combustible," suggesting that her outspoken nature has overshadowed the team's basketball priorities, to which she responded by affirming her unique contributions that go beyond traditional statistics.

(UPDATED October 10, 2026 23:56 UTC)

Cunningham is preparing for unrestricted free agency after two seasons with Indiana, and she recently expressed that she no longer cares about negative opinions regarding her performance. In response to criticism, her co-host Drew Hanlen defended her, labeling a column calling for her ouster as an "absolute hate piece" and highlighting her impressive stats as a top five bench scorer and three-point shooter in the league. Cunningham emphasized her focus on self-awareness and contributions beyond just statistics, stating, "No matter what anyone says to me, I’m going to continue to do me. I know what I bring to the table. It’s not always in the stat sheet."

(UPDATED October 10, 2026 13:05 UTC)

Sophie Cunningham, a guard for the Indiana Fever, is facing backlash after defending women's sports, leading to a column that urged the team to part ways with her, describing her as "too combustible." In response to the criticism, Cunningham boldly declared, "Suck it," while also highlighting her impressive performance this season, where she averaged 7.9 points and ranked fourth among the WNBA's bench scorers. Demonstrations both supporting and opposing her views have taken place outside Fever games, and Cunningham has made it clear that she won't let outside opinions dictate her life.