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How Sophie Cunningham spent her much-needed WNBA break

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Sophie Cunningham during her time in Phoenix Mercury on the court

Sophie Cunningham spends WNBA break outdoors

Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham spent part of the WNBA break outdoors in Missouri. On September 7, she shared a TikTok video showing preparations for a long trail ride with family.

Cunningham captioned the post, “I could do this every day,” after sharing part of the outing. The video appeared while the league paused regular-season play for the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup.

Sophie Cunningham plans five-hour ride

Sophie Cunningham said the trail ride would run from 7 a.m. until noon, making it a 5-hour morning outing. Her video showed the preparation process before she headed outside for the ride.

The Fever guard said the group would ride mules and donkeys. Cunningham also explained that they usually wore shorts and T-shirts for these outings, but this particular trail ride called for jeans.

Sophie Cunningham returns to Missouri roots

Sophie Cunningham used the WNBA break to spend time in Missouri, where she grew up. Her family gathered at a farm in Rocheport, giving the trail ride a clear connection to her background.

Cunningham attended Rock Bridge High School in Columbia before playing four college seasons at Missouri. Her return to the area placed the outdoor post within a familiar setting from her life before professional basketball.

Sophie Cunningham reaches millions online

Sophie Cunningham has built a large audience away from the court, with approximately 4 million followers on TikTok and more than 4 million on Instagram. Her posts include basketball moments, dancing and personal updates.

That reach gave Cunningham direct access to millions of followers during the break. The trail ride continued her pattern of sharing everyday moments alongside content connected to her professional basketball career.

Sophie Cunningham posts strong 2026 numbers

Sophie Cunningham entered the WNBA break averaging 8.3 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 1.3 assists for Indiana in 2026. She had appeared in 39 games while averaging 22.7 minutes per regular-season contest.

Cunningham had made 46.9% of her field goals and 43.4% from three-point range before the pause. Those figures show efficient shooting in her second season with the Fever, after joining the team in 2025.

Sophie Cunningham pauses after Fever win

Sophie Cunningham and Indiana entered the break with a 26-14 record after beating Connecticut 111-91 on August 28. That result sent the Fever into the pause with 12 more victories than defeats.

The Connecticut result closed Indiana’s schedule before the World Cup pause. Indiana had played 40 regular-season games by that point, with 26 victories and 14 losses before league action stopped.

Sophie Cunningham is not on World Cup roster

Sophie Cunningham did not compete in the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup. The tournament ran from Sept. 4 through Sept. 13 in Berlin while the WNBA regular-season schedule was paused.

The break gave Cunningham time away from Fever games while national teams competed internationally. She used part of that period for family time, outdoor activities and social-media updates while visiting Missouri.

Sophie Cunningham joined Indiana in 2025

Sophie Cunningham joined Indiana in 2025 after six seasons with Phoenix. A four-team trade sent her to the Fever with Jaelyn Brown and the No. 19 pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft.

Cunningham scored 257 points across 30 games during her first Indiana season. She added 13 points in the Commissioner’s Cup championship as the Fever captured the event for the first time in franchise history.

Sophie Cunningham entered WNBA in 2019

Sophie Cunningham entered the WNBA through the 2019 draft, when Phoenix selected her with the first pick of the second round. That made the Missouri guard the 13th overall selection that year.

Her professional career included six seasons with Phoenix before she joined Indiana in 2025. The move began a new chapter after Cunningham had spent her entire previous WNBA career with the Mercury.

Sophie Cunningham starred at Missouri

Sophie Cunningham played 129 college games at Missouri and averaged 17.0 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 3.0 assists. She also made 50.1% of her field goals during a four-year career with the Tigers.

Her college résumé included All-SEC recognition in all four seasons and SEC Freshman of the Year honors in 2016. Those achievements came before Phoenix selected Cunningham 13th overall in the 2019 WNBA Draft.

Fun fact: Before the WNBA, Cunningham became the first girl in Rock Bridge High School history to score in football, and she earned a black belt in Taekwondo at 6.

Sophie Cunningham turned 30 in August

Sophie Cunningham’s player profile lists her as 6-foot-1 and 156 pounds. The guard turned 30 on Aug. 16, shortly before the league entered its scheduled World Cup break.

Her official profile lists Missouri as her college and the United States as her country. Those details connect Cunningham’s professional record with the state where she spent part of the league break.

Sophie Cunningham mixes life with basketball

Sophie Cunningham’s TikTok content extends beyond game clips to include dance videos and behind-the-scenes moments with teammates. Her trail-riding post continued that pattern by showing preparations and time spent outdoors with family in Missouri.

The video followed Cunningham as she prepared for the outing, greeted animals and traveled along the trail. Her post gave followers another look at her daily life during the break from Fever games.

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Sophie Cunningham’s next game is scheduled

Indiana resumed regular-season play with a 103-85 victory over the Toronto Tempo on Sept. 18. Cunningham recorded 5 points, 4 rebounds and 1 assist as the Fever returned from the World Cup break.

Her 5-hour trail ride became one off-court moment during the pause, combining her Missouri background with an audience measured in millions. Cunningham summed up the outing by writing that she could do it every day.

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Sophie Cunningham used the WNBA break to trade game preparation for a five-hour Missouri trail ride. Would you rather spend your own sports break outdoors or completely relaxing? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

This slideshow was made with AI assistance and human editing.

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