A recent article suggesting the Indiana Fever need to part ways with outspoken player Sophie Cunningham drew plenty of scrutiny and a recent response from Cunningham. The article arrived earlier this week from The Athletic's Candace Buckner, providing various reasons the Fever shouldn't re-sign her for next season. While the article mentioned basketball reasons for parting ways, it also contended it would be wise to move on from Cunningham, who is a "distraction" for the team amid Caitlin Clark's rise to superstardom.
On Friday, Cunningham appeared with co-host Drew Hanlen in a new episode of the "No Hesitation" podcast, where she discusses on- and off-court topics, mostly about basketball. Hanlen started the episode by referring to the article as an "absolute hate piece" and gave his specifics on why Cunningham was a valuable bench player this past season. He then gave Cunningham some time to respond and address the article, although the Fever star kept things brief with her remarks.
More news: Caitlin Clark Sends Clear Message on Kelsey Mitchell’s Future Amid Fever Rumors "I literally don't even care what anyone says about me anymore because I've said this so many times, 'If you're going to live by the praise, you're going to die by the hate.' The majority of these people have never picked up a ball in their entire lives, and they're just like thirsty to have attention and be relevant in some type of way," Cunningham said. "No matter what anyone says to me, I'm going to continue to do me. I know what I bring to the table.
It's not always in the stat sheet, and so for you to say [I'm not] effective or any of that, whatever, suck it," she said before ending her rant. Cunningham drew scrutiny and criticism several months ago over her comments in an ESPN article that supported banning transgender women and girls from female sports. "I got a lot of negative feedback about me hating trans.
And I'm like, 'I never once said that. I think that I am here to extend love. But I also think with that love is truth, being honest.
And I want to protect young girls in a locker room, or young girls in sport who shouldn't have to go against biological men," she said. In The Athletic article, Buckner suggested that parting ways with Cunningham would help the Fever avoid the controversies and drama surrounding her on the team so they could focus on competing in the WNBA. Some of the teams that Buckner suggested for Cunningham included the league's two newest teams: the Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire.
Extract — continue reading at the source.
