The waves crashed lazily along the shoreline, the golden sunlight draped over the beach like a spotlight — and right in the middle of it all, Sophie Cunningham stood, a vision that would send social media into meltdown within hours. Known to basketball fans as the Phoenix Mercury’s unapologetically bold, trash-talking, never-back-down competitor, Sophie had long been a figure of intrigue in the WNBA. But this? This wasn’t a game highlight. This was the bikini photo that would dominate timelines, headlines, and heated comment threads for days.

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A Calculated Shockwave

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The Timing Was Everything

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The Backlash — and Sophie’s Response

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The Marketing Ripple Effect

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A Power Play Beyond the Beach

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The Legacy of a Viral Wave