Sophie Cunningham is sharing what it means to her to be a part of the growth of the WNBA.
If you've been in conversations about the WNBA recently, it's not by accident. The league has seen major growth in the past few years from upgraded facilities, games per season increase, as well as the WNBA looking to add more teams to the roster. The WNBA is adding teams in Toronto (2026), Portland (2026), Cleveland (2028), Detroit (2029), and Philadelphia (2030). This year, it added Golden State Valkyries as an interest as women's sports are on the rise.
In an exclusive conversation with Indiana Fever's Cunningham, the WNBA guard shared her firsthand experience in watching the WNBA gain even more momentum. She recalled her early days in the league when she was the 13th overall pick in the 2019 WNBA draft by the Phoenix Mercury.
“It's been really cool, to be honest. You know, I was here my rookie season, and we sold out our home crowd, but everywhere else not so much. I've been lucky to kind of play in front of a lot of fans. I was teammates with Diana Taurasi, Brittney Griner, and so big names around our league,” Cunningham exclusively told ClutchPoints during the announcement of her Sun Cruiser partnership last month. “Now, you know, you have Caitlin, who is a generational player put in the W on the map around the world and so just the level of investment and the people who are so interested, and not just women, it's young boys, men, girls, all like pretty much everyone. Everyone's invested in the W now and so it's just been really fun to kind of see the growth and the way that people support us.”
While the WNBA continues to gain more spotlight, Cunningham also shared the importance of taking time off to relax. The Fever guard suffered a season-ending injury back in August and is using her downtime as a way to connect with a brand that matches her overall vibe.
Sun Cruiser is a hard tea made with real iced tea and real vodka. The company offers flavors such as Classic Iced Tea, Peach Iced Tea, Raspberry Iced Tea, Lemonade + Iced Tea, Lemonade, Pink Lemonade, and Strawberry Lemonade.
“This partnership is all about embracing chill time,” said Erica Taylor, senior brand director for Sun Cruiser. “Sophie is known for her fierce competitiveness on the court and her unfiltered, fun-loving personality off it, making her the perfect partner to champion the art of the unwind. We're excited to sponsor her off-season and show that the best athletes know how to balance the grind with the good times.”
