Cunningham Responds to Criticism from Athletic Column

WNBA guard Sophie Cunningham reacted strongly to an Athletic column suggesting that the Indiana Fever should part ways with her during the offseason. In a podcast, she simply said, “Suck it.”

Cunningham, an unrestricted free agent who averaged less than eight points off the bench this season, was responding to Candace Buckner’s piece that questioned her value to the team and labeled her presence as a “circus.” Buckner suggested that the Fever should focus on basketball and move on from Cunningham to regain their competitive edge.

She stated that for the Fever to return to being a solid basketball team and to align with rivals who are also facing challenges, it would be necessary for Cunningham to be let go.

While Cunningham didn’t mention Buckner or the publication directly, she expressed that her critics seemed to be desperate for attention. “That’s why I literally don’t even care what anyone says about me anymore,” she remarked.

“If you’re going to live by the praise, you’re going to die by the hate. Most of these people have never touched a ball in their lives; they’re just looking for relevance. I know what I contribute, even if it doesn’t always show on the stats. So, whatever. Suck it.”

Her podcast co-host, trainer Drew Hanlen, called the column an “absolute hate piece.” He highlighted that Cunningham ranked as the fourth-leading scorer off the bench in the WNBA and was among the top five in three-point shooting accuracy this season.

Additionally, Cunningham faced criticism from former Fever teammate Sydney Colson, who said on her Unsupervised podcast that the guard should feel “ashamed” of her views on transgender athletes. Colson stated, “When you say harmful things about trans issues, nobody respects you. Just shut up; no one wants to hear your opinion.”

This past season, Cunningham averaged 7.9 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 1.2 assists, as the Fever were eliminated in the first round of the 2026 playoffs by the Las Vegas Aces. Her one-year contract, worth $665,000, expired after the regular season. Over her eight years with the Fever and Phoenix Mercury, she has earned a total of $1.3 million in salary.

This latest back-and-forth comes on the heels of her July comments to ESPN, where she expressed a desire to protect “young girls in sport who shouldn’t have to go against biological men.”

The reactions to this exchange have been mixed on social media. Some users supported Cunningham against the critical column, while others questioned the implications of her response.