Ever since joining the Indiana Fever back in 2025, Sophie Cunningham has seen her popularity gradually rise as she has embraced a sort of sidekick role to superstar Caitlin Clark. While she hasn’t typically used her platform to speak out on political or social issues, that has seemingly changed, and it’s led her to be embraced by right-wing commentators.
In recent weeks, Cunningham has been a bit more outspoken in her political views, and that’s led to her receiving some praise from notable right-wing analysts and commentators.
Cunningham Speaks Out
Earlier this month, Cunningham turned heads when she stepped out as a ring girl at a recent UFC event. While this was not necessarily a political statement in and of itself, the link between UFC and United States President Donald Trump is undeniable, with the league even holding an event on the White House lawn last month.
Following that appearance, Cunningham began to speak a little more freely about her views, speaking out against “dumb” data centers and most recently against transgender women competing in women’s sports.
“I got a lot of negative feedback about me hating trans. And I’m like, ‘I never once said that,’” she told ESPN. “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.”
Still, Cunningham claims that her politics are “in the middle.”
“I’m very much in the middle. I agree with things on both sides, disagree with things on both sides. And that’s all I’ve ever said about my political beliefs. But people love to assume,” she says.
‘The Anti-Megan Rapinoe’
Cunningham’s recent political takes have led to some high praise from right-wing sports commentators.
OutKick founder and notable right-wing sports commentator Clay Travis called her the “anti-Megan Rapinoe.”
“Sophie Cunningham just became one of the first current American female pro athletes to come out against men playing in women’s sports in an @espn profile article. Good for her. Rock star. Many others should follow. She’s the anti-Megan Rapinoe,” Travis wrote in a post on X.
Rapinoe, of course, is one of the greatest United States Women’s National Team players of all time. Throughout her career, she was a vocal advocate for social justice and the LGBTQ community while speaking out against Trump on many occasions.
Travis is not the only right-wing commentator to speak out in support of Cunningham. Last week, former ESPN college basketball commentator Dan Dakich expressed his support for Cunningham, calling her the “face of the WNBA” because she “understands what she looks like.”
“She has a shoe because companies are in business to make money. And Sophie Cunningham is the face currently of the WNBA because she’s smarter than you. She’s smarter than all of you,” Dakich said on his podcast this week.
“She understands what she looks like. And if that’s being white, blonde, and attractive, tough. That’s what she looks like. That’s what God gave her. She’s worked on her body.
“She’s a pro basketball player that understands modern social media. You idiots, you jealous little girls. She has a shoe because she is beautiful. Now you got hot. You got hot. You got sexy, you got likable, and you got women that are willing to do both. Be hot, sexy, and likable, and be a badass on the basketball court. That’s why she has a shoe, you dolts.”
Needless to say, she has developed a pretty strong support base.
