Trump’s Sophie Cunningham Comments Dismiss Her as a Player

President Donald Trump had something to say about Indiana Fever star Sophie Cunningham.

Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham (8) reacts to a call from the referee on Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2026, during the game two of the first round of the WNBA Playoffs at Gainbrigde Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

I suppose it was only a matter of time before President Donald Trump mentioned Sophie Cunningham. After all, the Indiana Fever player has been a fixture on political commentary shows since she said girls in sport shouldn't have to compete against biological men.

And before that, the White House actually used her infamous finger pointing meme as well.

Sure enough, during a rally in Ohio on Monday night, Trump referenced Cunningham.

Trump referred to Cunningham as "beautiful" and then implied fans would flock to watch her for that reason.

"A lot of men like to watch her," he said. "Sophie Cunningham is a beautiful young woman. You probably wouldn't mind her on the team not to help you with points, but to help you with attendance."

Trump: A lot of men like to watch her. Sophie Cunningham is a beautiful young woman. You probably wouldn't mind her on the team not to help you with points, but to help you with attendance. pic.twitter.com/qYkNgUpUa6

— Acyn (@Acyn) October 12, 2026

These comments not only add to the noise swirling around Cunningham and the Fever, but also dismiss her value as a basketball player.

Cunningham Is a Free Agent

Whether the attention that comes with Cunningham is worth the production she brings on the floor has already been a topic of conversation.

Cunningham herself recently responded to an article in The Athletic that called on the Fever to get rid of her due to the distraction that comes with her.

"That's why I literally don't even care what anyone says about me anymore. I've said this so many times is: if you're going to live by the praise, you're going to die by the hate. And the majority of these people have never picked up a ball in their entire lives, and they're just, like, thirsty to be relevant in some type of way," Cunningham said.

"No matter what anyone says to me, I'm going to continue to do me. I know what I bring to the table. It's not always in the stat sheet. And so, for you to not say I'm effective or any of that, whatever," she added.

Cunningham punctuated her response with two words: "Suck it."

Her unfiltered nature is another reason for her popularity, but weighing the discourse against her on-court value has been a persistent debate regarding whether the Fever should keep Cunningham, and how other WNBA teams will evaluate her in free agency.

Fever GM Amber Cox did state outside noise will have no say in the decision for Indiana.

Cunningham Is No Star, But Brings Value

To be fair to Cunningham, while the attention around her certainly outweighs her status on the court, she is still a good WNBA player.

But because she is often the topic of conversations beyond basketball, the criticism is also usually out of proportion with the reality of her production. That doesn't mean what she brings should be completely dismissed.

Cunningham was a top-five bench scorer in the league in 2026. She was also one of the most efficient shooters in the WNBA. Cunningham averaged 7.9 points per game in 22.2 minutes a night while knocking down 41.9% of her attempts from beyond the arc.

She also brings toughness to the floor and plays smart and hard. However, her defense did leave a lot to be desired, as did the rest of the team's.

Regardless, Cunningham is certainly a good enough player to have a real role. Trump's comments dismissed that, while possibly further fueling the discussion about how her popularity and notoriety could influence the way the Fever and other teams view her in free agency.

However, neither those factors nor her appearance should sway objective opinions on her as a player. And Cunningham is able to put more points on the board than the President gave her credit for.