Sophie Cunningham Denies Allegations of Affair
Former Mercury player Sophie Cunningham has rejected claims suggesting she has a connection with Phoenix Suns and Phoenix Mercury CEO Josh Bartelstein, who is married.
Cunningham, 28, who was traded from the Indiana Fever in January, expressed her feelings about the accusations. In a social media statement on Wednesday, she described the allegations as “definitely very hurtful” and stated that she was unaware of them.
“I am deeply saddened by the recent false accusations made against me by Gene Trailer,” Cunningham stated. “Let’s make it clear that his statement is not true and is very hurtful.”
Cunningham emphasized her commitment to playing basketball at the highest level, mentioning her goal to inspire other women through her sport.
“I have always been honest in my dealings with the media,” she said. “In this instance, I feel I wasn’t given a chance to comment on these accusations before misleading stories were circulated.”
She insists she will not let “untrue gossip” distract her from what matters most: her basketball career and her support team.
Cunningham played for the Mercury from 2019 to 2024 after being drafted in the second round of the 2019 WNBA Draft.
Meanwhile, Trailer has accused Cornelius Craig, the team’s vice president of security and risk management, of asserting that Bartelstein is involved with Cunningham in his lawsuit. The allegations against Bartelstein haven’t been addressed by him directly, but he has been married to his wife, Sydney, for nearly two years.
The suit, initially reported by ESPN, claims discrimination, harassment, and retaliation by the team. Trailer maintains that he was pushed out of his role after presenting concerns about various issues surrounding the team.
The lawsuit also includes claims that he was discouraged from taking leave after being diagnosed with cancer.
The Suns have dismissed Trailer’s allegations. Senior Vice President of the Suns, Stacey Mitch, stated, “Recent reports on Josh Bartelstein and Sophie Cunningham are completely false and morally condemned.”
Trailer is seeking unspecified damages in his lawsuit. An NBA spokesperson informed ESPN, “We’ve seen the civil complaint filed Tuesday and we’ll let the legal proceedings unfold.”
