Sophie Cunningham gets 100% honest on Caitlin Clark ‘threat’

Before joining the Indiana Fever in 2025 via a multi-team blockbuster trade, Sophie Cunningham spent the first six seasons of her career with the Phoenix Mercury.

When she joined the Mercury, the 6-foot-1 guard was already surrounded by two future Hall of Fame superstars, Diana Taurasi and Brittney Griner. Cunningham opened up about this on a recent appearance on the “Sons & Daughters” podcast. She revealed that she believed that having been teammates with the likes of Taurasi and Griner prepared her for what life would be like playing alongside Caitlin Clark.

While there was some truth to this, Cunningham admitted that nothing compares to the unprecedented fame of the former Iowa Hawkeyes star.

Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) and guard Sophie Cunningham (8) watch from the bench.

Sophie Cunningham gets real on being teammates with Caitlin Clark on Indiana Fever

According to Cunningham, being teammates with Clark was “times a million” in terms of all the attention the Fever was getting. Cunningham shared that other players who join the Fever are overwhelmed by the scrutiny the Fever face daily because of the famed Caitlin Clark effect.

“You can’t prepare,” Cunningham said. There’s a lot of players, and it’s no one’s fault that they’ve had to get traded or they’ve had to go to new teams because they can’t handle all this pressure.

“Some girls from this year, they’re like, ‘Wow, you guys are 100% right that there are eyes on you with every little single thing that you do.’ And it’s the truth. And you know, it can be hard.”

Cunningham then opened up about how some might perceive this as a threat. For her part, she sees it as a great opportunity.

“But at the same time, what an opportunity to be yourself and to inspire people who are just like you,” she said. “And so you can look at it as a threat. You can look at it as an opportunity. And I definitely came in here looking for an opportunity, not only off the court, but also on the court.

“… And so I just came in with open arms of all this is an opportunity for me as an athlete and for me to build my brand.”

The world has opened up for Cunningham since she joined the Fever. She now hosts her own podcast, has transitioned into a part-time WNBA analyst for USA Network and is coming out with her own Adidas Player Exclusive (PE) shoe, among other things.

Clearly, Cunningham is taking advantage of the opportunities she’s getting alongside Clark.