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Sophie Cunningham WNBA columnist John Silver, said when asked about the best 10 prospects for the Fever that Cunningham shouldn\u2019t be on the roster and, if she was, she should be waived.<\/strong><\/p>\n Sportswriter Candace Buckner is receiving heavy resistance from reporters, former players and fans after a column was published, calling on the Indiana Fever to release guard Sophie Cunningham.<\/p>\n \u201cCunningham has been a distraction off the court, and her unsolicited outspoken takes made her a huge distraction for a team that should have been all about basketball during one of the most exciting seasons in league history, thanks to superstar rookie Caitlin Clark,\u201d Buckner wrote for The Athletic.<\/p>\n \u201cWith Cunningham headed into unrestricted free agency, keeping her off the court will help Indiana get back to basketball.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n Within hours, the column attracted sharp criticism on social media and within sports media outlets. ESPN veteran anchor Sage Steele, who interviewed Cunningham on her own daytime show, defended her as having \u201ca lot of hatred\u201d and appreciated Cunningham for being authentic about her beliefs. Former sports broadcaster Linda Cohn wrote that the column\u2019s analysis was \u201centirely inaccurate.\u201d<\/p>\n The fallout:<\/strong> Some have argued that grounding a talented rotation player over political and cultural issues serves as a \u2018chilling effect\u2019 on any open dialogue that might occur in the world of pro sports.<\/p>\n Others, like Buckner, point out that the locker room environment, and fewer media distractions, can be pivotal in laying the foundation for a franchise to contend for championships around a once-in-a-generation talent.<\/p>\n As the Indiana Fever head to free agency, general manager and team ownership must decide on the roster\u2019s depth and the franchise\u2019s direction with Cunningham\u2019s name still a significant thread in the WNBA offseason.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n