Sophie Cunningham Drops Wisdom on Dealing With Outsized WNBA Attention

Indiana Fever star Sophie Cunningham is used to being in the spotlight. In fact, her now famous fingerpointing meme is everywhere at this very moment.

But this isn't the first time she's made waves since joining the Fever, as her proximity to, and penchant for having Caitlin Clark's back, along with her no-nonsense personality have turned Cunningham into one of the highest profile figures in the WNBA.

So she knows a thing or two about understanding how to deal with the negativity that can come along with that position.

When asked about what the league does to help shield players from the hate they receive on social media, Cunningham quickly shifted the conversation to her personal perspective.

She said she wasn't sure exactly what the WNBA does to combat this, before making her feelings clear.

"At the end of the day, you're in an entertainment business, that's when mental toughness comes in. If you're gonna live by praise, you're gonna die by the hate," Cunningham shared.

The read here is she means if external validation is what is lifting you up, the negativity will then bring you down.

"I think that's on the individual person to have mental toughness. Some people can deal with it, some people can't. And I think you can see the ones who can't. And unfortunately there are some who can't, and it's not beneficial to them," she continued.

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"But you can't control what other people say or what other people do. All you can do is control yourself, how you treat people. Speak up and support people who maybe don't have a voice or don't have the courage to do that. But, it's just one of those things, you're in the entertainment business, you have to expect it," Cunningham concluded.

It should go without saying that no one should have to deal with or be on the receiving end of hateful comments. But Cunningham is correct, it's not really something that can be prevented and is unfortunately inevitable for those who occupy a big stage.

That's why her mentality, much like her index finger, is on point. And it is this honest, blunt, and fearless approach that has made her resonate with many fans in the first place.

Hopefully, the WNBA discourse can quickly move past the Alyssa Thomas flagrant foul on Clark that led to widespread reaction. However, it seems Cunningham is prepared for whatever comes next regardless.

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