Paige Bueckers arrived in professional basketball with the type of following usually reserved for established superstars. Sophie Cunningham took a far less direct route to the same territory.
After six relatively understated seasons with the Phoenix Mercury, Cunningham has reportedly moved ahead of Bueckers in Instagram followers, reaching approximately 3.2 million compared with 3.1 million for the Dallas Wings guard.
Sophie Cunningham turns rock-paper-scissors with a young fan into a Game
“Sophie just casually hopped over Paige on IG like it was nothing,” one fan wrote as the comparison circulated online. “Who is Paige Bueckers?” another joked.
The reaction was less a dismissal of Bueckers than an acknowledgment of how rapidly Cunningham’s visibility has changed.
Bueckers was already a national name at UConn before becoming the No.1 pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft and winning Rookie of the Year.
Cunningham, by contrast, spent much of her career as a valuable role player known primarily within the league’s existing audience. Her move to the Indiana Fever in 2025 altered that trajectory.
Playing alongside Caitlin Clark brought greater exposure, while Cunningham’s willingness to confront opponents and publicly defend teammates helped establish an outspoken identity that resonated with a growing audience.
Viral moments push Cunningham beyond basketball
Cunningham’s rise accelerated during a turbulent July filled with basketball confrontations, television work and appearances outside the WNBA.
One surge followed a heated exchange with DeWanna Bonner during Indiana’s game against Phoenix.
Clips of Cunningham pointing at her former teammate spread quickly across social media, adding another viral moment to her growing reputation as one of the Fever’s most combative personalities.
She then appeared as an Octagon girl at UFC 329 in Las Vegas, carrying a round card before returning to WNBA action.
Cunningham has also expanded her media portfolio through her Show Me Something podcast and television work connected to USA Network’s basketball coverage.
“Companies need to take note and give Sophie Cunningham endorsements,” one supporter wrote.
Third-party analytics have documented a sharp increase in Cunningham’s following during recent weeks, although follower totals fluctuate and different tracking services display varying figures.
The broader trend is unmistakable: her audience has grown dramatically faster than it did during her years in Phoenix.
Controversy brings another wave of attention
Cunningham’s comments about transgender athletes competing in women’s sports created an even larger, more divisive spotlight.
The debate followed her to Seattle, where supporters gathered before the Fever’s game against the Storm.
Two teenage girls carried signs thanking Cunningham for “speaking up for girls” and later alleged that Seattle minority co-owner Celeste Keaton confronted them with profanity.
The Storm apologized, while the WNBA fined Keaton and barred her from five home games. Cunningham subsequently defended the teenagers while insisting that disagreement did not need to become cruelty.
“I truly believe there is a safe space and love for EVERYBODY,” Cunningham wrote on X. “You can disagree and still be kind.”
The controversy generated both support and criticism, but it also ensured that Cunningham remained part of a national conversation extending well beyond basketball.
Passing Bueckers on Instagram doesn’t make Cunningham the better player or the WNBA’s undisputed face. Bueckers remains one of the sport’s most accomplished and marketable young stars.
The milestone instead illustrates how quickly public relevance can shift.
Cunningham has combined performance, personality and controversy to become a figure followed by millions, many of whom may now know her as much for what happens away from the court as what she does on it.