Sophie Cunningham makes emotional plea to protect girls in sports from biological men
WNBA star Sophie Cunningham shares her powerful message about standing up for girls' sports amidst criticism. She reiterates her commitment to truth and protecting young girls in locker rooms and sports from competing against biological men, despite receiving negative feedback about her stance on transgender athletes. This comes after she retweeted a CBS Sports host years ago.
Sophie Cunningham has quickly become arguably the second-most popular player in the WNBA, only behind Caitlin Clark, of course. She is a viral star on TikTok, one of the most efficient three-point shooters in the league, Clark’s defender when she’s bullied, a Sports Illustrated Swimsuit model, and recently, an unapologetic defender of keeping women’s sports female. She’s the whole package, and many companies are taking advantage of her stardom, including Adidas.
On July 10, Adidas announced a player-exclusive Sophie Cunningham shoe that would be available for purchase in 10 days. The Crazy Energy "Sophie Cunningham" PE, a pink gradient colorway, released Friday morning for a retail price of $120.
Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham reacts after scoring during the second half of a WNBA game against the Seattle Storm on Sunday, May 17, 2026, at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. (USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect)
Friday morning, in collaboration with Adidas, Cunningham posted a video of her in an unmarked van full of her new sneakers with the caption: "today's the day. who's ready for the drop?", which has attracted over half a million views across Instagram and X in its first three hours of posting.
Within minutes of the social media promotion, most men's and women’s sizes were sold out. In less than an hour, they were all gone.
This is further proof that Cunningham’s marketability is skyrocketing. She’s on billboards, in commercials, a prominent voice in the culture war, and now, she has a best-selling shoe.
UFC CEO Dana White poses with Sophie Cunningham of the Indiana Fever after the Fever's 109-75 victory over the Las Vegas Aces at Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas, Nev., on July 12, 2026. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
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In a league where only all-stars like Caitlin Clark, Sabrina Ionescu, Angel Reese, and A’ja Wilson get shoe deals, Cunningham is breaking the mold and changing the game.
Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark wears her Nike Caitlin 1 "Snow White" signature shoes while warming up before a game against the Golden State Valkyries at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Ind., on July 15, 2026. (Brian Spurlock/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
CAITLIN CLARK PASSES LEBRON JAMES IN JERSEY SALES, FURTHER EXPOSING WNBA'S MARKETING PROBLEM
As for Clark, the Nike Caitlin 1 is scheduled to release on October 1, 2026, marking Caitlin Clark's first signature basketball shoe with Nike, after making the public wait almost three full seasons before a release. Nike officially announced the shoe and its accompanying signature apparel collection on June 17, 2026.
Jon is a writer and content creator for OutKick
