The image is burned into WNBA history: Sophie Cunningham, eyes blazing, standing chest-to-chest with an opponent twice her size, refusing to back down as the crowd roared. She wasn’t just playing defense that night — she was defending Caitlin Clark like a soldier holding the line.

A Defender Who Became a Headline Machine

The Power Play Nobody Saw Coming

From Court to Corporate

With her name trending weekly, brand deals began flooding in. Adidas offered her a multi-year contract. Arby’s tapped her for a national campaign, leaning into her “no-nonsense, all-hustle” image. There were rumors — unconfirmed but widely circulated — of an upcoming collaboration with a luxury watch brand, something no WNBA player had landed before.

In a single year, her endorsements tripled her basketball salary. Sophie Cunningham was no longer just playing for the Mercury — she was playing for herself.

The Social Media Storm

Tension in the League

The Clark Connection

The Future — And the Risks

A New Blueprint for WNBA Stardom