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Sophie Cunningham went viral due to comments made on her recent contract re-signing with the Indiana Fever. She recently clarified her remarks, which she admits made her sound ungrateful.
The forward received major backlash after receiving a significant raise. Any attempts to create friction in the locker room failed.
The WNBA negotiated an agreement with the Players’ Association ahead of the 2026 season. A month before opening tip, a deal was struck.
Players will receive huge salary boosts as a result.
Cuningham is one of those league stars set to cash in. Her base salary will increase from $100,000 to $665,000 in 2026.
Sophie Cunningham was unhappy with one aspect of her contract.
She aired out the frustrations on her podcast with Summer House star West Wilson. The comments rubbed many the wrong way.
Sophie Cunningham is not stoked about the contract she signed with the Indiana Fever in free agency
“I’m not even gonna lie… it’s a little, kind of, frustrating.”
🎥: @ShowMe_Pod pic.twitter.com/WlCvJ0fdQT
— Grant Young (@GrvntYoung) April 20, 2026
Cunningham, who is returning from a significant injury, signed a one-year contract to return to Indiana. She was hoping for a few more years with the Fever.
When asked if the contract was “better” than she anticipated, she said the following:
“I’m not going to lie to you, it’s a little frustrating… I know it is a business…
“It was a little weird, but it was a great wakeup call to not get comfortable. I think it kind of lit a fire under my a–.”
-Sophie Cunningham
On paper, that quote reads as ungratefulness. It was used to fuel a narrative of unhappiness, potentially driving a divide between teammates. The entirety of the clip provided a bit more context, as did the WNBA veteran.
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!!
Her feelings were never linked to the money. She wanted a longer contract to stay with a team she enjoys playing for.
While she did clarify, she also noted the poor optics that sparked backlash.
Cunningham opened up in a recent interview.
Appreciate Sophie Cunningham’s clarity on all this. Asked her about these comments and if she got a multi-year offer elsewhere even with her deciding to stay in Indiana: https://t.co/xum2jxg19y pic.twitter.com/1QptmL7vNI
— Tony East (@TonyREast) April 21, 2026
“Twitter kind of blew up about a comment I made on my podcast,” she said. “That’s not what I meant, at all. 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’d love to get established in a place like Indiana.”
She also dished on any possible strife inside the locker room that might’ve been caused by the comments.
“All of (my teammates) were like, ‘We know exactly what you meant.’ The internet is doing what the internet does and it’s trying to stir things up. It made me sound snotty and ungrateful, and that is the last thing I ever want…
“It was never about the money. It was just about the years, because I wanted to be with them. God forbid a girl love her teammates.”
Cunningham further confirmed her desire to play in Indiana by revealing that other teams offered multi-year deals. She spurned them to stay with the Fever.
For now, that will be on a one-year term. She’ll hope to return strong from injury and bank a larger, lengthier contract in the future.