Sophie Cunningham has become one of the more recognizable players in the WNBA, with her career bringing increased national attention. But the Indiana Fever guard says that public image hides a much harder reality.
Speaking about her career, Cunningham described missing birthdays, weddings, family dinners, holidays, and even a funeral because of basketball commitments. Her comments offer a personal look at the sacrifices that can come with playing professional basketball as the WNBA continues to expand.
The quiet cost behind a growing league
The WNBA is in the middle of a historic expansion. The league added new franchises in Toronto and Portland this year, pushing the total to 15 teams. More teams and more games mean more travel for every player on every roster.
The 2026 season includes 44 games for every team. Charter flights and packed calendars have become the norm rather than the exception. For players like Cunningham, that growth comes with a personal price.
Fans often see only the wins, the highlights, and the growing paychecks. Behind that success is a demanding schedule that pulls players away from ordinary life. Her comments highlighted the personal sacrifices that can come with a professional basketball career.
How Sophie Cunningham built her basketball career
Cunningham grew up in Columbia, Missouri, and played college basketball at the University of Missouri after starring at Rock Bridge High School. She earned 3 first-team All-SEC selections during her college career.
The Phoenix Mercury selected her 13th overall in the 2019 WNBA Draft. She spent 6 seasons with Phoenix, appearing in 182 regular-season games before joining the Indiana Fever ahead of the 2025 season.
Indiana acquired Cunningham in February 2025 as part of a 4-team trade. The move brought her back to the Midwest and placed her alongside Caitlin Clark with the Fever.
7 years away from birthdays and holidays
Cunningham said the years since being drafted have exacted a steep personal toll. She explained that she missed birthdays, weddings, and family dinners while chasing her career. Holidays that most families spend together, she often found herself on the road instead.
She said duty always came first, even when it meant disappointing people she loved. Cunningham described feeling pulled away from ordinary milestones by her basketball schedule. She said saying no was never really an option for her.
Being back in the Midwest with the Fever has made some of that easier. Still, she said those years included many personal moments she missed. Those years shaped how she now views success in professional sports.
Missing a funeral while the season continued
One of Cunningham’s comments involved losing friends during her career. She said she has lost people close to her while playing professionally. In at least one case, she could not attend the funeral at all.
Cunningham explained that grief does not pause for a basketball schedule. She said life keeps moving even when a player is far from home. Her words reflect struggles many professional athletes rarely discuss in public.
She described simply putting one foot in front of the other during those stretches. There was no break built into the calendar for personal loss. The comments reflect a side of professional sports that fans rarely see.
Why the WNBA travel schedule keeps growing
Cunningham’s experience comes as the WNBA enters its 30th season with 15 teams. The league’s 2026 regular season has 44 games per team, with expansion franchises in Toronto and Portland joining the schedule.
The WNBA’s schedule accounts for factors including travel, game density, and back-to-back games. The league has also introduced charter travel to reduce some of the demands associated with long-distance travel.
The 2026 season is the league’s first with 15 teams, while each team continues to play 44 regular-season games. The expanded league gives players a larger schedule of opponents and markets to navigate.
The trade that finally brought her home
The 2025 trade to Indiana marked a turning point for Cunningham. After 6 seasons away, she was finally playing close to where she grew up. She has called the return to the Midwest a meaningful part of her journey.
The trade placed her on the Indiana Fever alongside Caitlin Clark. Cunningham helped the team win the league’s Commissioner’s Cup in 2025. Being closer to home did not erase the years of sacrifice that came before it.
She still balances a packed schedule with the desire to be present for loved ones. The distance is shorter now, but the demands of the job remain the same. For Cunningham, home is closer, even if the sacrifices have not fully disappeared.
Why does she believe every sacrifice was worth it
Despite everything she has given up, Cunningham does not regret her path. She said the sacrifice of missing loved ones is still worth it to her. Her belief in that tradeoff comes through clearly in her recent comments.
Cunningham said she plans to return to a normal lifestyle once her career ends. She described basketball as a chapter rather than her entire life story. That perspective appears to help her manage the toll of years on the road.
She continues to chase bigger goals, including a WNBA championship with the Fever. She said she plans to spend more time with family and friends after her career. For now, she says the tradeoff remains one she is willing to make.
What comes next when the season ends
Cunningham has said she looks forward to a slower pace once she retires. She wants to spend more time with family and friends she has missed. Playing in Indiana has also brought her closer to her Missouri roots.
Until then, she remains focused on her role with the Fever. The Fever are entering the final stretch of the WNBA’s 30th season. Cunningham’s platform has also grown alongside her success on the court.
Her story reflects a bigger conversation about the cost of playing at the highest level. As the WNBA continues to grow, more players may share similar experiences. Her comments highlight the personal demands that can come with the league’s growth.
Little-known fact: Sophie Cunningham now co-hosts a podcast called Show Me Something on the sports network The Volume.
TL;DR
- Sophie Cunningham said she missed birthdays, weddings, and even a friend’s funeral during her WNBA career.
- She was drafted by the Phoenix Mercury in 2019 and traded to the Indiana Fever in 2025.
- The WNBA’s 2026 season includes 44 games across 15 teams, its largest schedule yet.
- Cunningham said the sacrifices were still worth it, and she does not regret her career.
- She looks forward to spending more time with loved ones once her playing days end.
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This article was made with AI assistance and human editing.
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