Will the Indiana Fever reach their full WNBA potential with Sophie Cunningham and Caitlin Clark together on the roster?
For Black columnist Candace Buckner, the answer to that question is an emphatic no.
In a column authored by Buckner and published on The Athletic this week, the award-winning writer argued that the Fever should not bring Cunningham back to the roster next season following two seasons with Clark.
Buckner’s reasoning for the Fever needing to part ways with Cunningham is related to the outspoken behavior exhibited by Indiana’s top bench player during the 2026 WNBA season.
The columnist also argued that Cunningham’s growing celebrity status is too much of a distraction when combined with the hype that already follows Clark to every arena the Fever play in.
“Although she largely spent her career in anonymity in Phoenix before joining the Fever in 2025, Cunningham is now as recognizable as Clark — and in some right-leaning circles, because of her outspokenness, she’s more respected,” Buckner wrote in her column.
“So, Cunningham shouldn’t be muted. She can serve up hot takes on her podcast about (Las Vegas Aces star A’ja) Wilson needing to “grow up” all she wants,” Buckner added. “She just needs to do it on another team. Cunningham might be content gold, but she’s not nearly worth the trouble for a franchise struggling to keep basketball first. When you add in the crowd that Cunningham has attracted this season, it’s as though the Fever have been reduced to performing in the background while the world’s most contentious Thanksgiving dinner drags on.”
Unsurprisingly, Buckner’s column drew intense backlash on social media from Cunningham supporters.
“…it’s painfully obvious she has a problem with Sophie because she’s a pretty white girl,” X user @ginamilan_ speculated about Buckner. “What’s even more hilarious is that she doesn’t seem to think it’s a problem that the WNBA STILL can’t define what a woman is. Absolute clown.”
“Racist writer hates white women,” X user @TimRunsHisMouth added.
Others defended the column, agreeing that Cunningham is a distraction to the Fever’s basketball goal to win a championship with Clark.
“Sophie Cunningham looks like she’s trying to cash in on the divisiveness and hate,” X user @YouWontFeelThis said. “A grifter and opportunist. Gotta give her credit for spotting all the suckers and marks in the MAGA world and figuring out how to turn them into a second career.”
“Easier way to put this: ‘she isn’t good enough to carry on the way she carries on,'” X user @el_budget added about Cunningham.
Cunningham, who turned 30 in August, will be a free agent this offseason after playing this season on a one-year contract that paid her $665,000. With most of her value as a player considered to be on the defensive end, Cunningham averaged 7.9 points, 2.3 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 22.2 minutes in 43 games (3 starts) this season.
Cunningham’s willingness to not shy away from confrontation on the court over past two seasons also earned her the label as Clark’s de facto enforcer.
Cunningham’s celebrity profile grew to a new level in 2026, though, when she spoke out against trans athletes competing in women’s sports during an interview with ESPN that was released in July.
Her comments set off a renewed round of political debates around the country, which included verbal attacks on trans people, forced other WNBA players and coaches to answer questions about the topic, and led to multiple protests at WNBA arenas. Seattle Storm co-owner Celeste Keaton even got suspended after she confronted two young girls who were holding up signs to support Cunningham in the front row at a game.
There are currently no trans players in the WNBA, although following Cunningham’s statements former NBA players Enes Kanter and Royce White have been trying their hardest bad-faith efforts to change that.
The Fever were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs following a 94-83 loss to the Las Vegas Aces on Oct. 1. Cunningham had a team-worst -18 plus-minus in the defeat; Clark was a -14.
Despite an ending the Fever were disappointed about, and Buckner’s appeal in the column, it looks like Indiana will attempt to keep the Cunningham-Clark duo together.
“She brings levity, but also brings a lot of experience,” Fever general manager Amber Cox said about Cunningham during exit interviews. “She’s serious and is an important voice in our locker room when we need it, when we really need to lock in.”
