The Hit Piece on Sophie Cunningham Is Stupid

In an October 6 column, Candace Buckner declares, "Cunningham is too combustible, her takes too turbulent to be paired with Caitlin Clark." Yet later in the same piece, Buckner acknowledges Cunningham's value as a protective teammate, describes the Fever players' closeness, and quotes general manager Amber Cox praising her experience and leadership. "She's serious and is an important voice in our locker room when we need it," Cox says. So the people who actually work with Sophie see a valuable teammate. The columnist sees someone who needs to leave. Cunningham's comments about protecting girls from competing against biological males helped ignite this controversy. But she also explicitly rejected the claim that she hates transgender people. "I think that I am here to extend love. But I also think with that love is truth, being honest," she told ESPN . Buckner lists Royce White, Enes Kanter Freedom, Todd Rokita, and Riley Gaines attending games, then repeatedly places the responsibility on Cunningham. But where is the evidence that Sophie organized their behavior? Someone showing up in a wig or getting into a yelling match is responsible for his own decisions. An athlete isn't responsible for everyone who buys a ticket. The last time I was at an NFL game, a guy punched a woman in the face. Which is insane, I know, but is it a player's fault? The column even acknowledges that Cunningham had little control over her pointing meme becoming a political symbol. Then it treats that symbolism as another reason she should go. Apparently, she can't control it, but she should still pay for it. For roughly two decades of my life, the WNBA barely entered my consciousness beyond a Seattle Storm game we attended because NBA tickets were too expensive. I'm not a sports fan. Watching layups has never been my idea of entertainment. But I know who Caitlin Clark and Sophie Cunningham are. They've reached people like me who weren't following the league at all. For many casual observers, women's basketball only became a regular topic of conversation in the last few years . Cunningham modeled for the 2026 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue. Angel Reese walked the Victoria's Secret runway in 2025. These women are bringing basketball into fashion, beauty, and mainstream celebrity culture. That is an opportunity for women athletes everywhere. Buckner herself says Cunningham's recent TikTok videos attract around 2 million views apiece. That is millions of opportunities to put a WNBA player in front of people who might never encounter the league otherwise. Brands pay heavily for that kind of exposure. Cunningham is generating it through her own personality and platforms, giving the league publicity it doesn't have to buy. Yet her podcast, popularity, and UFC ring-girl appearance become material for sneering about whether she'll abandon basketball. Why should a female athlete building opportunities beyond her salary be treated as embarrassing? The league should be figuring out how to turn that attention into fans, ticket sales, and better pay for its players. Most male NBA players take lucrative brand deals and no one bats an eye. And rightfully so. No player's popularity excuses harassment, and no player is entitled to a contract. But if Cunningham's teammates value her and she brings new audiences to women's sports, I'd be discussing how to reward that value before demanding her exit. It's giving Sydney Sweeney : a popular woman becomes a screen for everyone else's political projections, then gets blamed for the spectacle they've created. The column wants the Fever to put basketball first. It might start by listening to the basketball team.