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Sophie Cunningham Clarifies Viral Comments About Fever Contract

Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham addressed comments she made about the contract she signed in free agency.
Grant Young|
Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham (8)
Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham (8) | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Indiana Fever star Sophie Cunningham went viral for comments she had about the contract she received and signed from Indiana during an April 20 episode of her "Show Me Something" podcast.

Cunningham's co-host, West Wilson, asked, "Given the changes in structure and money [with the new CBA], was the contract better than you thought it would be?"

Cunningham shook her head emphatically. This prompted Wilson to say, "Nope? Okay, sorry."

Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham (8)
Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham (8) | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

"Nope," Cunningham replied. "It's okay! No, it's fine. It's tough, because I came off an injury, and I haven't been in front of any teams. Like, I had a lot going on this offseason. I was fully cleared; they had all the doctors, they had the numbers and everything. But if you don't get in front of these people, it's like, 'Hey, are you actually good?'

"I'm not even gonna lie to you though, it's a little, kind of, frustrating. Because I'm someone who, I kind of shoot it straight, if I wasn't feeling good, or was hesitant, I think I would have said something and been honest. Because I'm just at the point in my career where I just want to win. I just want to win. And so I'm not going to put my ego in front of things. And I know it is a business, but I just think I'm wired a little differently. I don't know. I just want to win," Cunningham continued.

These comments went viral on social media. And Cunningham addressed them on Monday night with an X post of her own, saying, "I’m gonna shut this down right now. I’m not mad about the money…. I just wanted more years because I love it here. I wanted to get a house so I could bring my dog and donkey to Indy with me. That’s it. That’s the truth. I think we have something very special here in Indiana!!"

Sophie Cunningham Addresses Fever Contract Comments at Training Camp

Cunningham spoke with the media after the Fever's April 21 training camp practice and was asked about her comments.

"Twitter kind of blew up last night about a comment I made on my podcast. But that was taken, you know, that's not what I meant at all. And I think if you listen to the full clip, you really understand that I just wanted to be somewhere for more than one year. I'm almost 30 years old; I want to have a home. I want to get established, and I would love to get established in a place like Indiana," Cunningham said, per an X post from Chloe Peterson.

"We had such a great time [last season], and when you find a group of girls who really make you fall in love with basketball again, and you enjoy them not only on the court, but off the court, you want to hold on to that," she continued. "So that's what I meant by that, and I think all of them this morning, they're like, 'We know exactly what you meant.' The internet is doing what it does, and they're trying to stir things up. But it made me sound snotty and ungrateful, and that's the last thing I ever want.

"I am so grateful. I know I'm coming off a pretty big knee injury. And so, it was never about the money; it was just about the years, because I wanted to be with [my teammates], and God forbid a girl loves her teammates."

The bottom line is that Cunningham is excited about the chance to play on Indiana this season, alongside teammates she clearly holds near and dear to her heart.

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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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