Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham has discussed why she did not pursue an appearance on ABC’s Dancing with the Stars. The 30-year-old basketball player addressed the subject during a conversation on her No Hesitation podcast. Cunningham said the program’s September filming schedule had conflicted with her professional basketball commitments.
She also described her interest in dancing and the activities she enjoyed growing up. Her comments came after the conclusion of Indiana’s 2026 WNBA season. The discussion showed how professional sports commitments can affect opportunities in television entertainment.
Sophie Cunningham explains her television show decision
Sophie Cunningham discussed Dancing with the Stars during a conversation with basketball trainer Drew Hanlen. She said the television competition had been interested in recruiting her for the past couple of years. Cunningham explained that her professional basketball schedule had prevented her from pursuing the opportunity.
The program films during September, when WNBA teams are completing regular season games or competing in the playoffs. Cunningham said that timing had made participation difficult despite her interest in dancing. Her explanation focused on scheduling rather than a decision to leave basketball for entertainment.
Cunningham did not describe a completed agreement with the television program or announce a future appearance. Instead, she discussed previous approaches and the practical reasons she had not participated. Her remarks provided a clearer account of the opportunities she had considered outside professional basketball.
Dancing with the Stars overlaps WNBA season
Dancing with the Stars generally begins its fall competition in September on the ABC television network. Celebrity contestants rehearse with professional dancers before performing routines during televised episodes. The format requires regular preparation and attendance throughout the competition.
The WNBA season also extends into September, followed by postseason games for qualifying teams. Players involved in those games must remain available for team practices, travel, and competition. These responsibilities can conflict with television productions that operate on fixed filming schedules.
Indiana’s 2026 postseason continued through October 1, when the Fever faced the Las Vegas Aces. Cunningham’s basketball commitments therefore extended beyond the beginning of the traditional fall television season. Her explanation connected the timing of previous television opportunities with the demands of her playing career.
Sophie Cunningham recalls her early dancing experience
Cunningham said dancing had been part of her life while she was growing up. She also mentioned enjoying TikTok dances and creating short videos for social media. Those activities helped explain her interest in a televised dance competition.
Dancing with the Stars pairs celebrity contestants with professional dancers who teach different ballroom and performance styles. Participants must learn choreography and perform routines before judges and television audiences. The preparation involves technical skills that differ from informal dancing or social media videos.
Cunningham acknowledged that the television competition would involve more demanding dancing than her usual activities. She nevertheless expressed confidence in her ability to take part in the experience. Her comments described a personal interest without suggesting that she had accepted a television role.
Sophie Cunningham completes another Indiana Fever season
Sophie Cunningham played for the Indiana Fever during the 2026 WNBA season. The guard appeared primarily as a reserve after returning for her second year with the franchise. She contributed outside shooting and additional backcourt depth during Indiana’s regular season.
Cunningham averaged 7.9 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 1.2 assists across 43 regular season games. She also shot 41.9% from the 3-point range during the campaign. Indiana finished with a 28-16 record and qualified for the postseason.
The Fever entered the playoffs as the No. 6 seed and faced the Las Vegas Aces. Indiana lost the opening round series 2-1 after a 94-83 defeat on October 1. Cunningham discussed her television opportunities after those competitive commitments had concluded.
Sophie Cunningham enters offseason with career questions
Cunningham entered the 2026 offseason after completing another season with Indiana. Her next WNBA contract had not been publicly announced by October 26. The upcoming season will bring another opportunity to evaluate her role in professional basketball.
Cunningham spent 6 seasons with the Phoenix Mercury before moving to Indiana. The Fever acquired her through a 4-team trade announced on January 31, 2025. She subsequently played for Indiana during the 2025 and 2026 WNBA seasons.
Her experience with both franchises includes regular season games and postseason competition. Those commitments remain relevant when considering opportunities that require extended periods away from basketball. A future television appearance would depend partly on her playing schedule and professional availability.
No Hesitation podcast expands Sophie Cunningham’s audience
Sophie Cunningham relaunched her podcast as No Hesitation in September 2026 with basketball trainer Drew Hanlen. The program followed her earlier podcast work under the title Show Me Something. The new arrangement brought a different co-host into conversations about basketball and other subjects.
Hanlen works as a basketball skills trainer and has coached professional players. His background provides experience with player development and the demands of competitive basketball. Cunningham contributes her perspective from 8 WNBA seasons with Phoenix and Indiana.
The podcast also gives Cunningham a place to discuss experiences beyond games and training. Her conversation about Dancing with the Stars introduced listeners to another activity she enjoys. The discussion took place during a regular podcast appearance rather than a formal announcement from ABC.
Former basketball players have won televised dance competitions
Dancing with the Stars has featured athletes from basketball, football, gymnastics, and other sports. Contestants bring different athletic backgrounds to a competition centered on choreography and performance. Previous winners include professional athletes who learned ballroom routines while participating in the program.
Former NBA player Iman Shumpert won Season 30 in November 2021 with professional dancer Daniella Karagach. His victory followed several weeks of performances and judging during the televised competition. Shumpert became the first former NBA player to win the show’s championship.
Olympic gymnast Laurie Hernandez won Season 23 in 2016 alongside professional dancer Valentin Chmerkovskiy. Her participation provided another example of an athlete competing outside her original sport. Both victories demonstrate that professional athletic experience and television dancing can intersect successfully.
Little-known fact: Sophie Cunningham was selected with the 13th overall pick of the second round in the 2019 WNBA Draft by the Phoenix Mercury, making her the highest-drafted player in University of Missouri women’s basketball history.
Sophie Cunningham has not confirmed a television appearance
Cunningham has not announced a confirmed appearance on a future season of Dancing with the Stars. Her recent comments described earlier approaches and explained why the timing had not worked. She did not identify a new filming date or agreement with the program.
Any future participation would require coordination with the show’s production schedule and her basketball responsibilities. Her next WNBA commitments could determine whether she has sufficient time for rehearsals and performances. The television competition would also need to include her in a future cast.
For now, Cunningham continues to have a public platform through her podcast and basketball career. Her comments have clarified why she previously passed on the dance competition. Whether she eventually joins the program remains undecided as of October 26, 2026.
TL;DR
- Sophie Cunningham said Dancing with the Stars had approached her about participating over the past several years.
- The Indiana Fever guard explained that September filming conflicted with her WNBA commitments.
- Cunningham said she grew up dancing and enjoys creating dance videos for TikTok.
- She averaged 7.9 points across 43 regular season games for Indiana during the 2026 WNBA season.
- Cunningham remains interested in dancing but has not announced a confirmed television appearance.
This article was made with AI assistance and human editing.
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