The Athletic says Sophie Cunningham is “too combustible” to stay next to Caitlin Clark — and wants the Fever to move on from one of the teammates who has publicly defended her. Read the full👇👇👇 column and the Fever’s response before deciding whether basketball fit or off-court comments should decide her free agency.

The Athletic says Sophie Cunningham is “too combustible” to stay next to Caitlin Clark — and wants the Fever to move on from one of the teammates who has publicly defended her.
Read the full👇👇👇 column and the Fever’s response before deciding whether basketball fit or off-court comments should decide her free agency.👇👇👇

The Athletic Calls for Indiana Fever to Move on From Sophie Cunningham, Saying She Is “Too Turbulent” to Play Alongside Caitlin Clark
The Indiana Fever are facing an important offseason decision involving veteran guard Sophie Cunningham after a new opinion column from The Athletic called on the franchise to move on from her.

In a column published Tuesday, October 6, 2026, The Athletic columnist Candace Buckner argued that Cunningham’s increasingly high-profile presence, outspoken opinions and the controversy surrounding her have become too distracting for a Fever team already dealing with enormous attention because of superstar Caitlin Clark.

Buckner’s central argument is that Cunningham and Clark together create an environment in which basketball can sometimes be overshadowed by controversy.

“Cunningham is too combustible, her takes too turbulent to be paired with Caitlin Clark,” Buckner wrote.
However, the recommendation is Buckner’s opinion, not an announcement that the Fever have decided to release, trade or otherwise part ways with Cunningham.

Cunningham became one of the Fever’s most talked-about players
Cunningham joined the Indiana Fever in 2025 after spending much of her WNBA career with the Phoenix Mercury.

Although she is not one of Indiana’s primary scorers, her personality and willingness to speak openly have made her one of the team’s most recognizable players.
Her profile grew considerably during the 2026 season.

But her off-court comments created a larger controversy
The situation changed significantly during the 2026 season when Cunningham made controversial comments about transgender athletes competing in women’s sports.

Her comments generated both strong support and strong criticism. The controversy eventually became bigger than basketball, with demonstrations and political figures becoming involved around Fever games.

Caitlin Clark was eventually asked about the controversy. Rather than taking sides, Clark said the issue should be handled by leagues and governing bodies and emphasized that the Fever’s focus should remain on basketball.