Sophie Cunningham had a blunt response after a New York Times column urged the Indiana Fever to part ways with her:
“Suck it.”
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The Fever guard addressed the criticism on Friday’s episode of “No Hesitation with Sophie Cunningham & Drew Hanlen,” pushing back against questions about her basketball value while saying she no longer lets outside opinions dictate how she lives.
“That’s why I literally don’t even care what anyone says about me anymore,” Cunningham said. “Because 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.”
The discussion followed an Oct. 6 column by New York Times-owned The Athletic arguing that Indiana should move on from Cunningham. The column contended that the attention surrounding the guard’s outspoken views had overwhelmed the team’s basketball priorities, describing her as “too combustible.” Cunningham is headed toward unrestricted free agency after two seasons with Indiana.
Her opposition to transgender athletes competing in girls’ and women’s sports became a major flashpoint this season, prompting demonstrations supporting and opposing her position outside the Fever games. Cunningham previously said she was not concerned that those rallies would distract her team.
Cunningham’s co-host Hanlen called the column an “absolute hate piece,” but said he wanted to focus his response on its basketball arguments.
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He disputed the suggestion that Cunningham’s scoring average diminished her appeal to other teams, saying she ranked fourth among the WNBA’s bench scorers and was a top-five three-point shooter.
“So yes, a lot of teams would want a top five bench scorer that also happens to be a top five three-point shooter in the entire league, not just bench players,” Hanlen said.
He also challenged a passage discussing Cunningham’s effectiveness, citing her 60.8% effective field goal percentage and saying it ranked fourth in the league.
“I understand if you just don’t like somebody and you try to write a hate piece, but don’t try to kind of put down the basketball stuff,” Hanlen said. “At least keep it with the facts.”
Cunningham averaged 7.9 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.2 assists during the regular season. She shot 41.9% from three-point range across 43 appearances, starting three games.
The column’s fuller passage acknowledged Cunningham’s value as a protective teammate, saying her effectiveness “didn’t shine on a traditional stat sheet.”
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Cunningham maintained that her contribution extends beyond those numbers.
“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,” she said.
“And so for you to like not say I’m effective or any of that, whatever. Suck it.”
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