By Dan Agulto Hardwood Heroics
Sophie Cunningham has finally cleared the air. After a viral clip showed her questioning the WNBA鈥檚 expansion choices, particularly Cleveland and Detroit, backlash rolled in from fans and even some former NBA names. But according to the Phoenix Mercury forward, the intent was never to slam the cities; it was about lifestyle appeal.
鈥淎ll I was really getting at is like Broadway, the off-court lifestyle, and so I think that is really intriguing. I think Miami鈥檚 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,鈥 Sophie Cunningham clarified.
The Sophie Cunningham moment went viral after she named cities like Miami, Nashville, and Kansas City as more appealing expansion picks. Her comments were quickly met with sharp responses from Cleveland and Detroit fans, and even a few athletes, defending their cities鈥 sports passion and history.
But Sophie Cunningham insists her message wasn鈥檛 personal. Her focus was the broader appeal of lifestyle and off-court energy that could help the league grow even faster. The comments weren鈥檛 meant to spark a rivalry, they were more about what can attract players and build new fan bases.