Sophie Cunningham makes emotional plea to protect girls in sports from biological men
WNBA star Sophie Cunningham shares her highly effective message about standing up for ladies’ sports activities amidst criticism. She reiterates her dedication to reality and defending younger women in locker rooms and sports activities from competing in opposition to organic males, regardless of receiving destructive suggestions about her stance on transgender athletes. This comes after she retweeted a CBS Sports host years in the past.
Sophie Cunningham has shortly turn into arguably the second-most well-liked player in the WNBA, solely behind Caitlin Clark, after all. She is a viral star on TikTok, one of the crucial environment friendly three-point shooters in the league, Clark’s defender when she’s bullied, a Sports Illustrated Swimsuit mannequin, and just lately, an unapologetic defender of protecting girls’s sports activities feminine. She’s the entire bundle, and lots of corporations are making the most of her stardom, together with Adidas.
On July 10, Adidas introduced a player-exclusive Sophie Cunningham shoe that will be out there for buy in 10 days. The Crazy Energy “Sophie Cunningham” PE, a pink gradient colorway, launched Friday morning for a retail value of $120.

Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham reacts after scoring throughout the second half of a WNBA recreation in opposition to the Seattle Storm on Sunday, May 17, 2026, at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. (USA TODAY Network by way of Reuters Connect)
Friday morning, in collaboration with Adidas, Cunningham posted a video of her in an unmarked van stuffed with her new sneakers with the caption: “today’s the day. who’s ready for the drop?”, which has attracted over half 1,000,000 views throughout Instagram and X in its first three hours of posting.
Within minutes of the social media promotion, most males’s and ladies’s sizes had been bought out. In less than an hour, they had been all gone.
This is additional proof that Cunningham’s marketability is skyrocketing. She’s on billboards, in commercials, a distinguished voice in the tradition conflict, 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)
CAITLIN CLARK PASSES LEBRON JAMES IN JERSEY SALES, FURTHER EXPOSING WNBA’S MARKETING PROBLEM
In a league the place solely all-stars like Caitlin Clark, Sabrina Ionescu, Angel Reese, and A’ja Wilson get shoe offers, Cunningham is breaking the mould and altering the sport.

Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark wears her Nike Caitlin 1 “Snow White” signature footwear whereas warming up earlier than a recreation in opposition to the Golden State Valkyries at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Ind., on July 15, 2026. (Brian Spurlock/Icon Sportswire by way of Getty Images)
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As for Clark, the Nike Caitlin 1 is scheduled to launch on October 1, 2026, marking Caitlin Clark’s first signature basketball shoe with Nike, after making the general public wait nearly three full seasons earlier than a launch. Nike formally introduced the shoe and its accompanying signature attire assortment on June 17, 2026.