Indiana Fever guard defended Brooklyn Nets star Michael Porter Jr.’s viral hot take during podcast appearance<\/p>\n
Published Nov 24, 2025 \u00a0\u2022\u00a0 2 minute read<\/p>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n You can save this article by registering for free here<\/a>. Or sign-in<\/a> if you have an account.<\/p>\n Being one of the brightest stars in the WNBA<\/a>, Sophie Cunningham should know a thing or two about just how good the best players in the women\u2019s game are.<\/p>\n Advertisement 2<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY<\/p>\n Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.<\/p>\n Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account.Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on.Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists.Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists.Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.<\/p>\n SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES<\/p>\n Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.<\/p>\n Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account.Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on.Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists.Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists.Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.<\/p>\n REGISTER \/ SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES<\/p>\n Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.<\/p>\n Access articles from across Canada with one account.Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite authors.<\/p>\n THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK.<\/p>\n Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.<\/p>\n Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authors<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n So it should come as a surprise to some that she didn\u2019t come to the defence of her colleagues over viral comments made by former NBA champion Michael Porter Jr. last week, who said that a team of grade-school boys could take down the stars of the WNBA.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n During an appearance on the Ball in the Family podcast with Lonzo and LaMelo Ball, Porter Jr. made the assertion that a team of elite eight-grade boys could beat the WNBA all-stars in a game of hoops.<\/p>\n Porter claimed to have scrimmaged against Cunningham\u2019s University of Missouri team when he was \u201cin the seventh or eighth grade, going crazy.<\/p>\n \u201cI mean this as respectfully as possible, but ninth-grade Lonzo Ball in the WNBA is going crazy,\u201d Ball said.<\/p>\n We apologize, but this video has failed to load.<\/p>\n Play Video Your Midday Sun<\/p>\n Thanks for signing up!<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n Advertisement 3<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n Cunningham \u2018not surprised\u2019 by Porter\u2019s take<\/p>\n The topic went viral on social media before Cunningham weighed in on her own podcast, agreeing with the NBA stars.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is my personal opinion. But if you are a professional football player, basketball player, really any sport \u2026 If you\u2019re in that elite-level group, yeah, you should be able to beat the girls,\u201d she said on her Show Me Something podcast. \u201cI\u2019m not surprised by that. I just don\u2019t get why it\u2019s continuing to get brought up.<\/p>\n \u201cIf women are saying, \u2018He couldn\u2019t beat them,\u2019 yeah, he could. Any NBA star could beat a female in high school,\u201d she said. \u201cI don\u2019t want to be unrealistic or delusional. Like, men are just stronger, bigger, athletic. They just are a different build. So if you put them up against females, yeah, they\u2019re gonna win.\u201d<\/p>\n Advertisement 4<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n Sophie Cunningham, who Michael Porter Jr. claims he beat in a Mizzou basketball practice in 8th grade, reacted to MPJ\u2019s recent comments: <\/p>\n \u201cI mean, it\u2019s probably true. I think, if you are a professional [athlete], if you\u2019re in that elite level group, yea you should be able to\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/pVbrxyYShV<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Courtside Buzz (@CourtsideBuzzX) November 23, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n Advertisement 5<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n Cunningham, who co-hosts the pod with her friend West Wilson, clarified that the boys would have to be future pros, not just an average group of youngsters.<\/p>\n RECOMMENDED VIDEO We apologize, but this video has failed to load.<\/p>\n Play VideoPut it in context<\/p>\n \u201cThe context of it is fair,\u201d she said. \u201cIf (the eighth-graders) are future pros, it just depends how big they are. And the majority of the time, if they\u2019re going pro, unless you\u2019re a late bloomer you\u2019re already pretty big.<\/p>\n \u201cSo I would say that that\u2019s probably true. It\u2019s probably true.\u201d<\/p>\n Cunningham, who plays for the Indiana Fever alongside superstar Caitlin Clark<\/a>, added that she was not trying to disrespect her WNBA colleagues, but was merely stating reality.<\/p>\n \u201cI just don\u2019t think that\u2019s a fair matchup,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n Cunningham, who finished her first season with the Fever<\/a> after playing her first six WNBA seasons with the Phoenix Mercury, averaged 8.6 points and 3.5 rebounds per game.<\/p>\n With her podcast, a following of more than 1.3 million people on Instagram<\/a> and friendship with Clark, Cunningham has become one of the league\u2019s most recognizable stars off the court.<\/p>\n Read More<\/p>\n![\"Sophie](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/0522-sophie-cunningham-indiana-fever.jpg\")
Sophie Cunningham of the Indiana Fever gets fired up during a game against the Washington Mystics. Getty ImagesArticle content<\/p>\n![\"Toronto](\"https:\/\/dcs-static.gprod.postmedia.digital\/20.0.2\/websites\/images\/identity\/logo-identity-tsun.svg\"){kind=logo}
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