Sophie Cunningham’s Fever Brand Boost on Full Display After Recent Reveal

Indiana Fever star Sophie Cunningham continues to capitalize on her newfound fame.
Aug 1, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham (8) warms up before the game against the Dallas Wings at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
Aug 1, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham (8) warms up before the game against the Dallas Wings at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

There's a case to be made that Sophie Cunningham's stardom was sure to skyrocket as soon as she was traded to the Indiana Fever this past WNBA offseason. Given that the Fever are the league's most popular team (largely because of Caitlin Clark, who is one of the most popular athletes in the world right now), Cunningham's profile was guaranteed to be heightened just by being in Indianapolis.

Then she joined the roster and immediately began cultivating a good relationship with Clark, which helped her start to attract attention and build her brand. But everything changed on June 17, when the Fever faced the Connecticut Sun.

Clark was knocked to the floor by Sun player Marina Mabrey in the third quarter of that game. This was the byproduct of Clark getting into a light shoving exchange with Jacy Sheldon. One quarter later, Cunningham grabbed Sheldon by the neck and threw her to the ground while she was going for a layup, prompting both players to get ejected and sparking a brief brawl between the two teams.

Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham (8) and Connecticut Sun guard Jacy Sheldon on June 17, 2025
Jun 17, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham (8) and Connecticut Sun guard Jacy Sheldon (4) get into a fight in the second half at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images | Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

This was arguably the most viral moment of the entire 2025 WNBA regular season. If she hadn't won over the hearts of Fever fans at this point, the way she came to Clark's defense and acted as the Fever's enforcer (which the team had been lacking before she arrived) made her beloved.

It also turned Cunningham into one of the WNBA's biggest stars and a powerhouse when it comes to business off the court.

Sophie Cunningham's Adidas Reveal Showcases Fever Stardom

On November 2, Cunningham made an Instagram post featuring several photos of her wearing Adidas gear (specifically pink Adidas shoes) that was captioned, "come get spicy like me with the Dame X Electric Pink kicks 🔥".

The post is clearly part of Cunningham's partnership with Adidas, which also included her being in an ad related to NBA star Damian Lillard's new shoe.

And this isn't the only impressive exposure Cunningham has amassed this week, as she also made an appearance on Good Morning America as part of her partnership with Arby's.

Cunningham is one of the most polarizing players in the league, as she has a ton of detractors in addition to the passionate fan base she has built during her first season with the Fever. Still, even the detractors are seeing what Cunningham has been able to accomplish off the court as a byproduct of her time in Indiana.

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Grant Young
GRANT YOUNG

Grant Young covers Women’s Basketball, the Indiana Fever and the New York Mets for Sports Illustrated’s ‘On SI’ sites. He holds an MFA degree in creative writing from the University of San Francisco (USF), where he also graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing and played on USF’s Division I baseball team for five years. However, he now prefers Angel Reese to Angels in the Outfield.

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