After ending last year with a season-ending injury, WNBA shooter Sophie Cunningham scored a major off-court win with a new brand deal as Sun Cruiser Hard Tea’s newest and first ambassador
Sophie Cunningham has signed a new brand deal(Image: Sun Cruiser)
Sophie Cunningham’s WNBA season could simply be labeled as unpredictable after a roster shake-up in Indiana, a surge of national attention fueled by being Caitlin Clark’s new bestie, an adult toy hitting her during a game, and the gut punch of a torn MCL just before a playoff run.
Months into her rehab, Cunningham has landed a new gig courtesy of a deal made public on Thursday. The ex-Fever role player will be the new face of Sun Cruiser. Cunningham’s deal with the newly launched hard iced tea brand aims to carve out a niche in the crowded sphere dominated by Twisted Tea and Mike’s Hard Tea as Clark continues her rollout with Nike, leading to a signature release.
The brand announced Cunningham as its first-ever athlete partner, unveiling the deal with a New York City launch party and a campaign built around her toughness and her “play hard, relax harder” identity. The partnership marks a rare move for a player who managed only 30 games before the season-ending injury cut her year short.
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Cunningham averaged 8.6 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per game and started 13 times last season before a collision with Bria Hartley resulted in a torn MCL that required surgery to fix.
Her deal with Sun Cruiser extends her growing commercial profile which already includes Adidas, Ring, and Arby’s.
“I play hard, so when it’s time to relax, I make it count,” Cunningham said in the announcement. “Sun Cruiser gets that. They’re all about those moments when you’re hanging with your people, soaking up the sun, and genuinely enjoying yourself.”
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The brand features four flavors (classic, lemonade and iced tea, peach, and raspberry), and each is at 4.5 percent ABV, slightly lower than its competitors. Cunningham’s year has been chaotic, even by the league’s new standard.
She went viral after being hit by a flying dildo on the court, dipped into modeling ambitions after Angel Reese’s Victoria’s Secret deal, leaned into brand-building, and started a new podcast.
Cunningham is currently attending The ANNIKA to support Clark with Fever teammate Lexie Hull.
Cunningham continues to expand her profile off the court(Image: Getty Images)
“I think Happy Gilmore would be really proud of me. So I’m feeling pretty good about my shot to be honest,” said Cunningham, during her caddy duties that also doubled as an autograph session.
“I feel like the last time I hit a golf ball, I killed a squirrel, so I just don’t know if this is my scene, but I would like to win that car behind us.”
Cunningham is set to be an unrestricted free agent in 2026 as she continues to construct a portfolio that extends her influence outside the Fever’s locker room and away from the WNBA.