{"id":619631,"date":"2026-04-21T21:23:10","date_gmt":"2026-04-21T21:23:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/619631\/"},"modified":"2026-04-21T21:23:10","modified_gmt":"2026-04-21T21:23:10","slug":"wnba-star-sophie-cunningham-calls-new-contract-frustrating","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/619631\/","title":{"rendered":"WNBA star Sophie Cunningham calls new contract \u2018frustrating\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Sports<\/a>Basketball<\/a><\/p>\n

Indiana Fever star recently signed a one-year deal worth $665,000 US, significant raise over her reported $100Gs salary in 2025.<\/p>\n

Published Apr 21, 2026 \u00a0\u2022\u00a0 Last updated 57\u00a0minutes ago \u00a0\u2022\u00a0 3 minute read<\/p>\n

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\"IndianaIndiana Fever star Sophie Cunningham poses for a photo. InstagramArticle content<\/p>\n

Most people wouldn\u2019t be too upset about getting their salary bumped up by more than 600%, but Sophie Cunningham isn\u2019t like most people.<\/p>\n

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The WNBA star recently signed a new contract with the Indiana Fever but was left a bit frustrated with the deal, she says.<\/p>\n

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Cunningham and the Fever agreed to a one-year, $665,000 US contract<\/a> on Sunday, a significant raise over her previous reported salary of $100,000 on an extension signed prior to the 2025 season.<\/p>\n

The seven-year WNBA veteran opened up about her freshly inked contract during the latest episode of her Show Me Something podcast<\/a>.<\/p>\n

During the pod, co-host West Wilson asked the Fever guard how she felt about the contract, specifically if she felt it was better than she initially thought it would be thanks to the league\u2019s new CBA.<\/p>\n

However, Cunningham almost immediately shook her head no.<\/p>\n

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\u201cNope? OK, sorry,\u201d Wilson said.<\/p>\n

What did Cunningham say?<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s OK! No, it\u2019s fine. It\u2019s tough, because I came off an injury, and I haven\u2019t been in front of any teams,\u201d Cunningham said. \u201cI had a lot going on this off-season. I was fully cleared, they had all the doctors, they had the numbers and everything. But if you don\u2019t get in front of these people, it\u2019s like, \u2018Hey, are you actually good?\u2019<\/p>\n

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Sophie Cunningham is not stoked about the contract she signed with the Indiana Fever in free agency <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not even gonna lie\u2026 it\u2019s a little, kind of, frustrating.\u201d<\/p>\n

\ud83c\udfa5: @ShowMe_Pod<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/WlCvJ0fdQT<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Grant Young (@GrvntYoung) April 20, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

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\u201cI\u2019m not even gonna lie to you, though, it\u2019s a little, kind of, frustrating. Because I\u2019m someone who, I kind of shoot it straight. If I wasn\u2019t feeling good or was hesitant, I think I would have said something and been honest. Because I\u2019m just at the point in my career where I just want to win. I just want to win. And so I\u2019m not going to put my ego in front of things. And I know it is a business, but I just think I\u2019m wired a little differently. I don\u2019t know. I just want to win.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cunningham also said that the contract is a \u201cgreat wakeup call\u201d and is motivating her to return even stronger after suffering a season-ending knee injury last year.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think it kind of lit a fire under my ass even more,\u201d she said. \u201cAt the end of the day, I\u2019m coming back from a major (injury). Like, it was (a torn) MCL. So I feel good. I\u2019m shooting the ball well, I\u2019m mentally in a great spot.\u201d<\/p>\n

How did Cunningham respond to backlash?<\/p>\n

However, while her comments led many to believe that Cunningham \u2014 a teammate and friend of Caitlin Clark \u2014 was put off by the money aspect of her new contract, it\u2019s actually the term that got caused the frustration.<\/p>\n

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\u201cI\u2019m gonna shut this down right now,\u201d she posted on X in reply to a story about her comments. \u201cI\u2019m not mad about the money \u2026 I just wanted more years because I love it here.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m gonna shut this down right now. I\u2019m not mad about the money\u2026. I just wanted more years because I love it here. I wanted to get a house so I could bring my dog and donkey to Indy with me. That\u2019s it. That\u2019s the truth. I think we have something very special here in Indiana!! https:\/\/t.co\/xq7HZ2ZDbF<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Sophie Cunningham (@sophaller) April 21, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

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\u201cI wanted to get a house so I could bring my dog and donkey to Indy with me. That\u2019s it. That\u2019s the truth. I think we have something very special here in Indiana!!\u201d<\/p>\n

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Cunningham has averaged 7.9 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game across her seven WNBA seasons<\/a>.<\/p>\n

She played in 30 games for the Fever last year \u2013 her first season in Indiana after starting her career with the Phoenix Mercury in 2019 \u2013 before suffering a torn MCL.<\/p>\n

She is set to be featured in this year\u2019s SI Swimsuit edition and posted several pictures on Instagram<\/a> from her photoshoot in Florida.<\/p>\n

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