Cunningham’s Team USA omission draws attention
Sophie Cunningham’s 2026 season has drawn attention, but her absence from Team USA’s World Cup roster adds another layer to her story. The United States went on to capture another championship in Berlin while Cunningham remained with the Indiana Fever.
Her strong shooting numbers made her a notable contributor off the bench for Indiana. The late roster changes also raised questions about the players who ultimately earned spots on Team USA.
USA Basketball announced its original roster in August
USA Basketball announced its 12-player women’s national team on August 6 for the World Cup. Cunningham was not among the players selected for the original roster announced for the September tournament.
The initial group included Caitlin Clark, Aliyah Boston, Paige Bueckers, Breanna Stewart, A’ja Wilson and Kelsey Plum. It also featured Napheesa Collier, Kahleah Copper, Chelsea Gray, Rhyne Howard, Angel Reese and Jackie Young.
Late roster changes did not open a spot for Cunningham
Team USA later made two roster changes before the World Cup began. A’ja Wilson and Kelsey Plum withdrew for health reasons, and USA Basketball added Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen to complete the 12-player roster.
Cunningham still was not selected after those changes. Citron and Iriafen joined the final roster, while Cunningham remained with the Indiana Fever during the WNBA’s World Cup break.
Cunningham entered the tournament as a Fever guard
Cunningham entered the World Cup break as a guard for the Indiana Fever. The WNBA lists her 2026 season averages at 8.3 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.3 assists through 39 games.
She joined Indiana in 2025 after six seasons with the Phoenix Mercury. The Fever acquired her from Phoenix as part of a four-team trade announced on February 2, 2025, giving her a second WNBA organization.
Her 3-point shooting stood out in 2026
Cunningham’s shooting was one of her notable statistical strengths during the 2026 WNBA season. Through 39 games, she was shooting 43.4% from 3-point range, compared with a 38.1% career rate.
She also posted a 46.9% field-goal percentage and an 87.5% free-throw percentage. Her 22.7 minutes per game reflected a reserve-heavy role for Indiana during the regular season.
Indiana supported her Sixth Player of the Year case
The Indiana Fever publicly promoted Cunningham as a candidate for the WNBA’s Sixth Player of the Year award. On September 10, the team cited her 8.3 points per game, career-best 46.9% field-goal shooting and 43.4% 3-point shooting.
Those numbers came during a season in which Cunningham primarily played off the bench. Her role with Indiana remained separate from Team USA’s World Cup roster decisions, which were made by USA Basketball.
Cunningham has prior USA Basketball experience
Cunningham’s international background includes USA Basketball junior opportunities before her professional career. She attended the 2017 USA Basketball Women’s U23 National Team training camp after receiving an invitation during her college career at Missouri.
However, she was not part of the senior United States roster for the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup in Berlin. Her previous USA Basketball involvement therefore came through junior-level opportunities rather than the senior World Cup team.
Interesting fact: Cunningham isn’t the only athlete in her family. Her sister Lindsey also played basketball at Missouri, while her mother competed in track and field and her father, aunt, uncle and grandfather all played sports at the university.
Her college career began at Missouri
Cunningham played college basketball at the University of Missouri from 2015 through 2019. Missouri lists her as the program’s all-time leading scorer with 2,187 career points and second in career 3-point field goals with 590.
She earned SEC Freshman of the Year honors in 2016 and became a three-time All-SEC first-team selection. Missouri also records her as an AP and USBWA third-team All-American in 2019.
Interesting fact: Sophie Cunningham finished her four-year Missouri career with 2,187 points, the most in program history.
Her WNBA career began with Phoenix
Cunningham entered the WNBA after Phoenix selected her with the 13th pick in the second round of the 2019 draft. She spent six seasons with the Mercury before joining Indiana for the 2025 season.
During her Phoenix tenure, Cunningham appeared in 182 regular-season games. The WNBA lists her career averages at 7.9 points, 2.7 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game.
Team USA still had major roster changes
The final United States roster differed from the group first announced in August. A’ja Wilson and Kelsey Plum withdrew for health reasons, and USA Basketball added Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen before the World Cup began.
The revised roster contained 12 current WNBA players. The group included 5 players who were on the 2024 Olympic gold-medal team: Breanna Stewart, Napheesa Collier, Kahleah Copper, Chelsea Gray and Jackie Young.
Team USA reached the final without Cunningham
The United States advanced through the World Cup knockout stage undefeated. In the semifinal, Team USA defeated Spain 76-66 on September 12 to reach the final.
Cunningham was not part of that run because she was not on the tournament roster. The U.S. then defeated France 97-79 on September 13 to claim the title in Berlin.
The World Cup expanded to 16 teams in 2026
The 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup featured 16 teams, up from 12 in the previous edition. The tournament was held in Berlin from September 4 through September 13, with the United States placed in Group D.
The expanded field included the United States, France, Spain, Australia, Belgium, China, Czechia, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mali, Nigeria, Puerto Rico and Türkiye.
The internet is also talking about Angel Reese helping Team USA turn 14-point deficit into fifth straight World Cup title.
Cunningham now returns her focus to Indiana
With the World Cup finished, Cunningham remains with the Indiana Fever for the final portion of the 2026 WNBA regular season. The WNBA schedule lists Indiana’s next game for September 18 against the Toronto Tempo.
Her 2026 season continues after the international break, while Team USA returns from Berlin with another World Cup championship. Cunningham’s next competitive games will therefore come with Indiana rather than the United States.
In other news, Clippers reportedly rethink Kawhi Leonard plan after NBA punishment.
What do you think about Sophie Cunningham being left off Team USA’s World Cup roster? Like this slideshow and comment with your take.
This slideshow was made with AI assistance and human editing.
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