By Christian Arnold
Sophie Cunningham was the center of controversy over comments about the WNBA鈥檚 expansion to Cleveland, Detroit and Philadelphia, and, on Thursday, she attempted to clarify her message ahead of the Fever鈥檚 win over the Aces.
The Indiana fan favorite previously questioned whether players would be excited about going to cities like Cleveland and Detroit compared to other bids, which included Miami, Nashville and Kansas City.
The comments didn鈥檛 sit well with those in Detroit and Cleveland and others around the WNBA, but Cunningham said on Thursday that she was only talking about the off-the-court lifestyle players would enjoy in the more tourist-friendly cities.
鈥淔irst of all, I know the history behind the WNBA. I know both of those cities had teams before and they got us where we鈥檙e at, so I鈥檓 thankful for that,鈥 Cunningham said before getting into her bigger point during a conversation with Fever reporter Tony East.
鈥淎ll I was really getting at is Broadway, the off-court lifestyle, so I think that is really intriguing. I think Miami is really intriguing. That鈥檚 all I was getting at. I鈥檓 thankful for what they鈥檝e done for our history of the sport. I think it鈥檇 be fun to get some teams outside the NBA market. I do think there鈥檚 benefits when you do have an NBA team, but that鈥檚 all I was getting at.鈥
Social media accounts for both cities pounced on Cunningham鈥檚 comments, with Cleveland posting a video of Cunningham鈥檚 teammate Caitlin Clark positively talking about the city during the 2024 women鈥檚 college basketball Final Four.
Detroit also pushed back at the comments, posting on X, 鈥淒etroit is a sports town. We鈥檙e sure we鈥檒l see the same excitement for the WNBA returning.鈥
Cunningham felt that her comments were 鈥渕isread.鈥
鈥淚 think people totally misread that situation,鈥 she said. 鈥淚 would never speak down upon middle class, blue-collar working people. That鈥檚 where I come from, I鈥檓 from Missouri, I get I鈥檓 in Indiana and that鈥檚 why I鈥檓 kind of hinting at. Broadway sounds fun, Sophie in Miami sounds fun. All I was saying.鈥
The WNBA announced Monday that the league would be expanding to Detroit, Cleveland and Philadelphia, all cities with NBA franchises and histories of supporting their NBA clubs.
Detroit had also previously been home to a WNBA franchise, which won championships in 2003, 2006 and 2008.