Sophie Cunningham is no longer just a basketball player; she has become a crossover star who appeals to people outside of the court.
When Dana White stepped out to promote a UFC event while wearing a Sophie Cunningham shirt and doing her famous double-bird gesture, it showed how far her influence has spread. Now, on his YouTube channel, analyst Robin Lundberg explained how White’s endorsement changes Cunningham’s free agency outlook.
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“From just like the social media click, attention, headlines, sports talk, radio sense, there’s a real argument to be made that Sophie Cunningham is as big as anyone not named Caitlin Clark,” Lundberg stated.
He addressed her future directly, saying, “It’s such a mutual relationship for Sophie to stay with Indiana to keep it going and because she helps them on the court.”
Cunningham’s rise picked up quickly after a key event on June 17 during a Fever-Connecticut Sun game.
When she physically defended her teammate, Caitlin Clark, by confronting Jacy Sheldon, the moment went viral and became the most talked-about play of the 2025 WNBA season. Fans who had long called for more protection for women’s basketball’s most valuable player liked that she was willing to protect the league’s star player.
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Cunningham has been honest about the league’s money problems, too.
She brought up an unusual career supplement during her appearance on “Sundae Conversation.”
“Not Plan A, Project B. I think you need the league cuz that’s what gives you the platform to have all these fans. Maybe Plan B should support that platform.”
Her comments came at a time when the CBA negotiations were tense.
Players wanted about 30% of gross revenue, while the league offered about 70% of net revenue. The union wanted salary caps of more than $10 million, with average salaries around $1 million. The league, on the other hand, wanted a cap of $5 million. These big differences are why Cunningham and others are looking for various ways to make money.
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Meanwhile, her free agency is still up in the air until a new CBA is signed. But her relationship with Clark, Lexie Hull, and the Fever fanbase makes Indiana the best place for her to play her own style of basketball and entertain fans.
WNBA pushes forward despite contract standoff
The WNBA isn’t going to sit around and wait for players and owners to agree on money. Even though there is no final contract, the league just released its full schedule for 2026, showing that the show will go on.
While they work out the real details behind closed doors, both sides are following a temporary agreement.
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The 30th season will have the same 44-game format, with breaks for international play and playoffs that go on until November.
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A WNBA spokesperson told Yahoo Sports, “Releasing the 2026 schedule is a key step as we prepare for the WNBA’s 30th season and allows the teams, partners, broadcasters, and fans to begin the essential planning for the year ahead.”
Arena bookings and broadcast deals can’t wait for the end of the contract drama. So, things are about to get messy.
Players want salary caps of more than $10 million and paychecks that are about $1 million on average. The league would rather be safe and tie raises for real revenue growth.
Yet the release of the schedule makes it clear that basketball will happen in 2026. But the arguments of how much players should be paid are far from over.
The post Dana White’s Sophie Cunningham Shoutout Changes the Conversation Around Her Indiana Fever Future, Analyst Says appeared first on EssentiallySports.
