Sophie Cunningham's Shoes Selling Out Is No Surprise

Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham's debut Adidas shoe sold out within hours, which is another testament to her star power.

Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham (8) | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Indiana Fever star Sophie Cunningham released her first-ever player-exclusive sneaker with Adidas on Friday, which was called the “Unicorn” adidas Crazy Energy PE.

It came in a pink, white, and light blue colorway, was priced at $120, and sold out within hours, which Sophie noted with several posts to her social media accounts on Friday evening.

One example of this was when she reposted an X user's graphic about the shoes being sold out and added the caption, "you guys really showed up! nothing but genuine love for yall💕".

you guys really showed up! nothing but genuine love for yall💕 https://t.co/2c4nLEeRna

— Sophie Cunningham (@sophaller) July 24, 2026

It's worth noting that the shoe seemed to be a somewhat limited release. But that doesn't detract from the fact that it sold out not only on Adidas' website, but also on Dick's Sporting Goods, which is an impressive accomplishment.

But this shouldn't come as a surprise. Cunningham has skyrocketed in popularity since joining the Fever before the 2025 season and is now undoubtedly one of the most recognizable names and faces in women's basketball.

Yes, Cunningham is polarizing, and many other women's basketball fans dislike her for either her off-court beliefs or her demeanor and actions on the court. But her shoes selling out is an indicator that all press is good press, especially when it comes to marketing a shoe's release.

Sophie Cunningham's Adidas Deal Points to Unprecedented Star Power, Given Her Role

What's perhaps most impressive about Cunningham's popularity is that it isn't owed to her extraordinary abilities on the court.

There's no question that Cunningham is a valuable part of the Fever's rotation and is actually playing some of the best basketball of her career this season. But she's still primarily a role player and comes off the Fever's bench.

Role players in the WNBA don't get signature shoes in general, let alone with a sports apparel juggernaut like Adidas. But Cunningham is the exception because of her uncanny ability to market herself and generate attention, which then translates into shoe sales (as was seen on Friday).

After Cunningham's shoes sold out, she asked fans whether Adidas should make more of them. The response was a resounding yes, as if the success of this first shoe wouldn't have already convinced Adidas that they should keep Cunningham's shoes coming.

In the meantime, fans who missed out on the shoe's initial release will need to see whether Adidas does end up making more. At least they'll get to see the shoes on Cunningham's feet during upcoming Fever games.