Sophie Cunningham announced some big news on Wednesday, away from the Indiana Fever and outside the WNBA. This comes in the form of the 29-year-old being included in the latest Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue. This major development comes just one day after she announced that she will be joining USA Network’s broadcast of the 2026 WNBA season as a guest contributor.
Cunningham has obviously been busy during the offseason. However, she will now need to turn her attention to a pressing matter in her basketball career.
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Wednesday is the first day that teams are able to officially negotiate new deals with free agents. This means that the Fever can now officially enter talks with Cunningham on a new contract.
Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham (8) against the Phoenix Mercury in the first half of a WNBA game.© Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
(© Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images)
The WNBA took to social media to make an official announcement about free agency. The league provided a list of all the players who officially entered free agency on Wednesday.
“It’s official ✅
“Check out the full list of 2026 Unrestricted Free Agents, Restricted Free Agents, Reserved Players, and Core Players!”
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Cunningham is one of the headliners for the list of unrestricted free agents. While the list includes some of the biggest superstars in the WNBA, there’s no denying that Cunningham stands out as one of the biggest draws, especially when it comes to her popularity with the fans.
Other big-name unrestricted free agents on the list are A’ja Wilson, Breanna Stewart, Kahleah Copper, Jonquel Jones, Nneka Ogwumike, Alyssa Thomas, Brittney Griner and Jackie Young.
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The likes of Lexie Hull and Rhyne Howard, on the other hand, headline the restricted free agents list.
The Fever’s No. 1 priority in free agency, Kelsey Mitchell, is listed as Indiana’s core player. This puts the Fever in an advantageous position to re-sign the three-time All-Star. This is also the case for Hull, who is a restricted free agent.
The same cannot be said for Cunningham, though. While both parties have indicated a willingness to extend her tenure in Indiana, Cunningham is free to accept a more lucrative offer from any other team in the WNBA.
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Related: Sophie Cunningham’s New Swimsuit Photos Draw Attention
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Apr 8, 2026, where it first appeared in the WNBA section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
