Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham is, at least for now, ringing the proverbial bell and taking a hard shot at what she calls “dumb” online comments.
In the wake of a social media storm that erupted after she was not on a courtside TV broadcast that featured Team USA, the WNBA veteran called out fans who suggested she wasn’t paying attention or didn’t have her Fever teammates’ backs while they played overseas.
The conflict flared up when fans questioned why Cunningham didn’t leave on the road for certain tournament games, with her offhand account of missing a couple of contests being taken as an indication she might be falling out of trust with her teammates.
Cunningham addressed the distraction head-on, shutting down the conjecture that was circulating on social media by clearing up her schedule during the WNBA break: “This trip for me was personal business and scheduled activities not due to team disconnect.
With my head coach and teammates representing us, the international play was still on my mind.”
In addition, Cunningham provided honest thoughts on the game of basketball at large, including roster choices, player utilization and the attention-grabbing media coverage of the Indiana Fever franchise.
As the team refocuses entirely on preparing for the playoffs and playoff competition, Cunningham remains on message to keep the focus on the game on the floor.
Though Cunningham has addressed online criticism head-on and addressed a few misconceptions off the court, she is still one of the most outspoken and outspoken players in the league, helping to close the gap between fans and players today.
