{"id":452040,"date":"2026-02-03T22:27:10","date_gmt":"2026-02-03T22:27:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/452040\/"},"modified":"2026-02-03T22:27:10","modified_gmt":"2026-02-03T22:27:10","slug":"sophie-cunningham-floats-surprising-future-as-wnba-commissioner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/452040\/","title":{"rendered":"Sophie Cunningham Floats Surprising Future as WNBA Commissioner"},"content":{"rendered":"

Indiana Fever star Sophie Cunningham is among the most critical active players of WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert. <\/p>\n

Cunningham has put Engelbert on blast several times in the past. One example is during an October 2 episode<\/a> of her Show Me Something podcast, where Cunningham said, At the end of the day, [Elgelbert is] worried about her. In all of her [alleged] statements, it’s like, ‘Well, I got us here, and I should… Cathy: No one cares<\/a>. Literally no one cares.”<\/p>\n

\"<\/p>\n

Aug 7, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham (8) against the Phoenix Mercury during an WNBA game at PHX Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images<\/p>\n

Given this scathing criticism of Engelbert and the league office as a whole, it’s hard to imagine that Cunningham would be keen to enter the business side of the league after her playing career ended. <\/p>\n

Sophie Cunningham Reveals Unexpected WNBA Commissioner Ambition <\/p>\n

However, it appears that Cunningham could see a future for herself in Engelbert’s shoes, which she conveyed during a February 3 episode of Show Me Something. <\/p>\n

When Cunningham was asked by her co-host, West Wilson, what she would fix if she were the WNBA commissioner for a day, she said, “So here’s my thing. And I think maybe I’m speaking this into existence, people are probably gonna make fun of me, but I have seen the league when it hasn’t had this [CBA frustration], and I’m in the process of seeing where this thing could be. And I think that I truly do, I’m learning the business, I’m learning the sport. <\/p>\n

“I think that one day, it would be so fun to be the commissioner,” she added. <\/p>\n

“Let me say this: And I know that is a tough job, and I know that there’s probably a lot more that goes on behind the scenes. And I get that. But I also think that when you are collaborative, and you want the product to be successful, you find a way to put people first,” Cunningham continued. <\/p>\n

“And that doesn’t mean you’re always going to align and agree. But I think if you do it in a certain way, where people know that you care, and it’s about them and not about you, that you can make a successful business,” she added. <\/p>\n

Sophie Cunningham on (genuinely) wanting to be the #wnba<\/a> commissioner in the future pic.twitter.com\/RnTGjM81JZ<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Grant Young (@GrvntYoung) February 3, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

There’s still a lot that needs to happen before Cunningham could potentially become the WNBA Commissioner, especially because she would seem to have at least several more years in her playing career ahead. <\/p>\n

But perhaps there’s a future where Cunningham takes over Engelbert’s job. One would imagine that she’d be a player-friendly leader.<\/p>\n

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