Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham has once again entered the national conversation off the court. After the midterm elections ended, the WNBA unrestricted free agent posted a viral video from entrepreneur Andy Frisella that highlights personal responsibility, individual character and self-reliance instead of “politics.”
The powerful message spread quickly online by speaking to a unique cultural irony that’s ripe for the present moment: We put so much energy into political arguments and so little into improving ourselves personally.
Frisella pointed out that a nation’s “power and strength are nothing more than a reflection of the discipline, health and quality of the people who make it up, not who sits in the capital in Washington.”
Sophie Cunningham took away the key message of the post which states “being great personally is the greatest form of rebellion possible” in our world today.
A more amplified version of this message is of course nothing new for Cunningham – she’s always been outspoken about issues related to culture, personal life and athletics. The 30-year-old guard has always had a reputation for keeping a voice that’s true to who she is and often preaches to her audience about empowerment, passion and perseverance in the face of the noisy world of today.
Cunningham remains amid a critical offseason that includes free agency and location decision-making for her team’s future, all the while calling for control over one’s own actions and values.
WNBA star’s tweet comes at an interesting crossroads in her career trajectory. Off the court, she is not only preparing for her basketball future when her Fever contract ends, but she has been growing her brand footprint in entrepreneurship and personal brand initiatives, such as the anticipated relaunch of her Project B in January.
Cunningham’s ability to interact with larger cultural issues while juggling high-pressure career changes makes her part of the new wave of professional athletes who don’t want to stay inside the lines of just being an athlete.
Her concerns with perfection and accountability give the fans a transparent view into Cunningham’s world on and off the court.
