WNBA player Sophie Cunningham is under scrutiny following her public defense of women’s sports. This controversy gained attention when a column urged the Indiana Fever to part ways with her. Fox News contributor Kat Timpf and podcast host Kennedy joined Ainsley Earhardt to discuss this issue, highlighting that 80% of the American public supports Cunningham’s stance. They also introduced a new episode of the ‘the Girls’ podcast.
Cunningham’s response to the criticism was blunt. She retorted to a New York Times column urging the Fever to drop her with, “Suck it.” On the podcast “No Hesitation with Sophie Cunningham & Drew Hanlen,” she addressed the backlash, expressing her determination to ignore outside opinions. “That’s why I don’t even care what anyone says about me anymore,” Cunningham stated. “If you’re going to live by the praise, you’re going to die by the hate.”
The New York Times-owned The Athletic published a column on October 6, suggesting that Indiana should release Cunningham. The article described the attention her outspoken views attracted as distracting from the team’s focus. With her contract nearing an end, Cunningham is approaching unrestricted free agency after two seasons with the team.
Her stance against transgender athletes in women’s sports ignited significant debate, leading to demonstrations around Fever games. Despite protests, Cunningham remained unfazed, affirming that it would not impact her team’s performance.
Drew Hanlen, Cunningham’s co-host, called the article a “hate piece,” but concentrated on rebutting its basketball-related criticisms. He countered claims about her diminishing appeal, highlighting her rankings among bench scorers and three-point shooters in the WNBA’s bench. “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,” Hanlen asserted.
Hanlen further challenged claims by noting her effective field goal percentage stood at 60.8%, ranking fourth in the league. “At least keep it with the facts,” he urged. Cunningham’s regular season averages included 7.9 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per game, with a 41.9% success rate from three-point range over 43 games, where she started in three.
The piece acknowledged her as a valued teammate whose impact goes beyond statistics. “I know what I bring to the table. It’s not always in the stat sheet,” Cunningham emphasized. Her strong words, “Suck it,” highlighted her indifference to detractors.
Sports reporter Jackson Thompson has covered this issue extensively for Fox News Digital, exploring its cultural and political dimensions within sports.
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