Sophie Cunningham Expresses Frustration Over New $665,000 Contract with Indiana Fever

Sophie Cunningham is set to begin her second WNBA season with the Indiana Fever in May, opening against Paige Bueckers and the Dallas Wings. The former Phoenix Mercury guard made an immediate impact for Indiana in 2025, averaging 8.6 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.2 assists before an MCL injury ended her season early.

The Fever made numerous additions to the roster as they look to make another deep run in the playoffs with a hopefully healthy Caitlin Clark. Not only did it re-sign key players such as Kelsey Mitchell and Lexie Hull, but Indiana also addressed its frontcourt needs, bringing in former Golden State Valkyries forward Monique Billings and ex-Dallas Wings forward Myisha Hines-Allen.

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Cunningham became an unrestricted free agent after the 2025 WNBA season. Following the league’s new collective bargaining agreement, which increased player salaries by approximately 400%, she signed a one-year, $665,000 contract with the Indiana Fever, a $565,000 raise from her previous $100,000 salary in 2025.

But in a recent episode of her podcast Show Me Something, Cunningham was asked about her new deal with the Fever and whether the contract was better than she expected. The guard did not seem too pleased with the amount she received, despite the substantial increase from last year, voicing her frustrations about the contract to her co-host.

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“Nope,” Cunningham said. “It’s tough because I came off an injury, and like, I haven’t been in front of any teams, like I had a lot going on this offseason. I was fully cleared, they had all the doctors, they had the numbers and everything. But if you don’t get in front of these people, then it’s like ‘hey, are you actually good?’ I’m not even gonna lie to you, though, it’s like a little, kind of, frustrating.”

Cunningham also noted numerous times that while she didn’t get the contract she had hoped for, her main goal is just to win.