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WNBA Phenom to ESPN: Men Don’t Belong in Women's Sports

To Sophie Cunningham, it just makes sense. The WNBA phenom told ESPN earlier this week that she didn't think men should be in women's sports. That’s her story and she’s sticking to it. Since then, she’s been grilled…

Sandra RhodesJul 24, 20262 min read

Men in women's sports Sports U.S. News WNBA Women's sports

To Sophie Cunningham, it just makes sense.

The WNBA phenom told ESPN earlier this week that she didn't think men should be in Women's sports. That’s her story and she’s sticking to it.

Since then, she’s been grilled about her words, not about her play.

Before Wednesday's game against the Connecticut Sun, the Indiana Fever guard faced reporters who grilled her for four minutes on her comments.

She responded "said what I said" and believed it was "kind of common sense."

Watch:

https://x.com/ClayTravis/status/2080085380666183911?s=20

Then Thursday, Cunningham went on Instagram to send a message to the haters with a simple "I said what I said" and a saluting emoji.

Her bluntness is getting her noticed.

“Sophie Cunningham is the most marketable player in the WNBA

right now. Not Caitlin Clark. Not Angel Reese. Not that one girl who we traded for from Russia,” Outkick reported..

“She's authentic. She's SANE. She's good at basketball. Yes, she's attractive. Marketing folks like that, too. But she's also fearless in what she says, and what she does,” the outlet continued.

“That resonates so much with America right now, especially the sane part of the country that has to listen to the nonsense day in and day out,” Outkick added.

Cunningham spoke out the negativity with ESPN.

"I got a lot of negative feedback about me hating trans. And I'm like, 'I never once said that,'" Cunningham said. "I think that I am here to extend love. But I also think with that love is truth, being honest. And I want to protect young girls in a locker room, or young girls in sport who shouldn't have to go against biological men.”

"I'm very much in the middle. I agree with things on both sides, disagree with things on both sides. And that's all I've ever said about my political beliefs. But people love to assume,” she added.